Hot For You
by LilRachity
Summary: When wealthy businessman Atem's beloved car breaks down, he falls for an attractive mechanic at the repair shop. After accepting the challenge from his cousin Seto, will Atem be able to win Yugi's affection or will his feelings remain unrequited when complications arise from their different lifestyles? Blindshipping, warning: language and lemons in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! This idea for a story refused to leave my mind after a very handsome mechanic fixed my car. So, here it goes! I hope you all enjoy and feel free to tell me what you think! :)**

* * *

On a warm summer day, a man was driving his beloved car down a tree-lined road. Pockets of shade mingled with streams of sunlight. A heated breeze danced along his skin as he stuck a caramel-colored hand out of the window. He closed his scarlet eyes in bliss; just a man and his machine on a beautiful summer afternoon – this was paradise.

 **BUFFFF…CHNK…SSSSSSTTTT…**

"No, no, no, baby, no! That doesn't sound good!" Atem's eyes popped open in shock – the engine of his old Mercedes was making odd noises again, and now it was even leaking smoke. In his blissful daydream, he hadn't noticed that his car had been seriously overheating. As his car collapsed on the side of the road, he wearily tried to remember when his last tune-up was…

Last…winter? Maybe? Who the hell keeps track of that sort of thing anyway?

Atem got out of his now immobile vehicle to survey the damage, keeping his fingers crossed for an easy fix. This car meant a lot to him and it was always dependable, until lately it started having issues as older cars tend to. His cousin had been teasing him about his car, telling him he should just junk it and get a brand new one – something sleek and sharp. A Lexus. Or perhaps an Audi. Anything would be better than that beat-up old Mercedes. It was scratched, faded, and dinged everywhere and definitely way out of style; it made him look like a poverty-stricken old geezer.

It wasn't as if Atem couldn't afford a new car, certainly he could, but this car held more sentimental value than his cousin or anyone else could understand. He'd rather stick with it and fix it as best he could than get some gaudy, new piece of junk. His cousin once joked that the only thing Atem ever loved in this lifetime was his car…and it was true.

The sun burned down on his back, but he welcomed the heat. His white silk shirt flapped loosely in the summer breeze. As he opened the car's hood, he was greeted with a cloud of foul, burnt air. Choking and gagging, he tried to see behind the constant outpour of smoke.

"I have no fucking clue what I'm even looking at." He angrily confronted his own ignorance of the situation.

Atem didn't understand engines, cars, or machines in general. Why do they have to be so damned complicated, with their wires and their gears and what-have-you's? They were tools that should simply work and bend to his will; he hits the gas pedal, they should go faster, not break down and strand him on the side of the road.

Inwardly, he groaned as he confronted yet another dilemma – he had no choice but to call his cousin Seto for help. Not that Seto knew any more about cars than he did, but maybe he knew where to find a decent mechanic and not some scumbag Joe-Shmoe who would rip him off. Atem wasn't stupid; he had heard a thing or two about grease-monkey types.

"I'm sure they'll charge me triple simply because the parts are for a Mercedes; they'll see it and think I'm some kind of magical money tree with an endless cash flow. Damned low-lifes, you just can't trust anyone these days." His deep voice rumbled in anger. He hated wasting money on account of someone else's ignorance.

Atem dialed Seto's number on his cell phone and barely had to wait before a familiar, raspy voice answered on the other end.

"This had better be important, Atem. If you're calling to ask if I can be your wingman again, the answer is 'no fucking way,' especially after what happened last time – !"

"Shut up, cousin!" Atem closed his eyes in frustration and braced himself for his next words. "I need your help."

Silence. That was Seto's cue for him to proceed.

"I'm stranded on the side of the road – "

"Call a taxi."

"No, my car broke down."

"Call a tow truck."

"I don't know any tow guys; I'll be the next disappearance story on Dateline! No thanks. Just come pick me up, would you? I just drove by the ice cream shop on Coconut Drive. And get me the number to your most trusted mechanic." The call suddenly ended, but Atem was sure that Seto had gone to do his bidding.

After about thirty minutes, Seto finally pulled his shiny, silver Porsche behind Atem's Mercedes, followed by a flatbed truck with a blonde, shaggy-haired driver. The driver parked his truck in front of the Mercedes and got out, wearing a green jacket and a chipper smile. His eyes looked golden in the sunshine.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The mechanic bent down over the defeated engine to take a look. "Mercedes, huh? Nice choice. Older model too, I see. Even better."

With practiced hands, he began fiddling with some of the tubes. He sniffed the burnt air surrounding the engine. "Smells like you're burning coolant to me. Must be leaking from somewhere. You might need a new water pump."

Atem was very educated, but he had no idea what the mechanic had just said. Damn mechanical jargon.

As the blonde continued to tinker, Seto's tall frame made an appearance, his arms crossed over his chest in their usual pose. Ice-blue eyes were clouded in annoyance.

"Joey here is an excellent mechanic."

The blonde feigned blushing, but kept his puppy dog eyes on his work. "Awww, you're just saying that."

"He will load up your car and tow it to his shop. You and I will follow in my Porsche." He swiftly turned back towards his car, expecting Atem to follow him.

 _There goes Seto – keeping things to the point, as always._ Atem turned to Joey, as if a loved one's life was in desperate need of saving. Joey was the doctor and his Mercedes was the dying patient.

"This car means a lot to me. Please, do whatever you can…"

Joey had heard this story before and could relate to it himself. He didn't become a mechanic for the thrill, or lack thereof. He genuinely loved cars. "Say no more, your car is in great hands. I'll get her hooked up on the flatbed and we'll head over to my shop. My buddy is all set and waiting for us."

He saw the doubt reflect in Atem's crimson eyes. "Don't worry, my buddy is a great mechanic too. Taught him everything I know."

Joey winked a golden eye before setting to work hooking up the car with locks and heavy chains.

Atem turned back towards Seto's Porsche and climbed into the pristine leather seat. "Where did you find this guy?"

His cousin snorted. "Bakura recommended him to me."

"Bakura, the _limo driver_?" Now Atem was even more nervous. Joey seemed nice, but what kind of trustworthy mechanic deals with Bakura, of all people?

"When I ask for the best, I get the best." Seto was too smug for his own good.

Joey waved his hand, signaling they were all set to head over to his shop. As the vehicles pulled away from the side of the road, Atem got a sinking feeling.

 _…What if they can't fix my baby?_

* * *

The tow truck screeched to a halt in an old, unpaved parking lot in front of a shabby building. A crud-covered sign that hung crookedly on the outside read: "Joey's Garage."

Joey backed the flatbed up to the garage door. He hit a small button inside the truck and the garage door suddenly lifted.

Sunlight poured inside the dim garage and Atem peered inside. Rust clung to the metal walls. Dirt, grime, and oil stains covered the floors. What windows were in the place had long-since clouded over with who-knows-what, blocking out any natural light. It looked like a place cars go to die. Or to be stripped of parts and sold on the underground market.

 _This_ was the place where they were going to take _his_ Mercedes?

"Hey, Yug! I'm backing in the Mercedes now!" Joey yelled into the wild darkness. A radio blasting hair metal music hits of the 80's was the only answer he received…until the volume was turned down.

"Sure thing, Joe!" A bright voice answered back from the void.

Atem and Seto watched from outside as the flatbed tilted back like a dump truck. Joey began unhooking the locks he had placed to secure the car for the drive and used a thick chain pulley to slowly and gently unload the precious cargo.

When the car was completely unloaded and unhooked, Joey drove the truck forward and parked it outside the garage. He got out and walked towards the two men, who stood frozen as if the garage would swallow them whole if they stepped inside.

"Come on in, guys! Welcome to Joey's Garage, at your service! Where are ya, Yug?"

As Atem walked inside, he saw a petite figure bent over the open hood of a purple Pontiac. Crimson eyes traced the supple frame; tight jeans showcased slender legs, narrow hips, and clung to a tantalizingly firm backside. Beautifully pale shoulders contrasted against a black muscle shirt.

"Over here, Joe! Just replacing a cracked serpentine belt for Mai."

The sweet, cheery voice certainly matched the individual…from behind, anyway. Now, if only the face was as stunning as the rest…

The diminutive stranger turned towards the three men and successfully rendered Atem breathless. Round cheeks flushed from his hard labor. Beads of sweat graced his delicate eyebrows. Vivid amethyst eyes sparkled from behind a mask of engine oil and grease, dirtying the lily-white skin underneath. Soft, rosy lips framed the brightest smile Atem had ever seen.

"Hey I'm Yugi," the grease-covered angel piped up, wiping his dirty hands on a rag and gesturing towards the newly arrived car. "Is this the Mercedes 9-1-1 job? She sure is a beauty."

 _She's not the only beauty here_ , Atem thought as the young one padded over to the car and opened the hood to assess the problem.

"Alright, let's take a look here." He used a flashlight to see deeper into the engine and began to touch its various components. "So talk to me Joe – what do we know so far?"

"Well I just took a quick look but she's definitely burning engine coolant somewhere, I saw it leaking out when I hooked her up to the flatbed. I'm thinking maybe the water pump." Joey joined his younger buddy under the popped hood.

"Hmmmm maybe, but the coolant is leaking from below the exhaust manifold. Sounds like a blown head gasket to me. Typical with older cars."

"Ahhhh, a head gasket job?"

"Yup, 'fraid so."

Yugi turned back to the two cousins, focusing his dazzling eyes on Atem. "Well, we'll have to take her apart a bit to get an accurate diagnosis, but then we'll be a hundred percent sure if it really is the head gasket or not. It'll take about an hour and then we'll go from there."

Atem's tongue felt five times its normal size inside his mouth, temporarily stunning his voice into submission. All that came out in reply to Yugi's statement was a series of mumbles and jibberish.

Seto smirked at his cousin's unnatural silence. Since when had Atem gotten shy in the face of a challenge? He must really be into this one, which could be even more interesting. For him.

"That will be fine," Seto came to his cousin's rescue. "We'll be back in an hour. Come along, Atem."

Reluctant to leave, Atem walked silently after his cousin. His heart was pounding in his chest. His head was spinning, as if the last few minutes had been in slow motion and his body was now adjusting back to real-world speed.

Atem sank into the plush leather seat of Seto's Porsche and released the breath he had been holding in. After all, not every day did he meet someone so heart-stopping.

"Alright spill," Seto teased as they pulled out of the parking lot. "You have a crush on him, don't you?"

Atem just continued his silence and stared dumbly back at his cousin, not computing the question in his overworked mind. _Had he just said something?_

"Come on, I think a change of scenery is in order." Seto's devious smirk continued to pull at his lips. His cousin had it even worse than he previously thought. "You could use a coffee. You know, to clear your head."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all! Chapter 2 is here. Mild fluff ahead but don't worry - I have some drama coming soon for our two boys! :D**

 **Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed! I really appreciate it :)**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters! This story is just for fun and nothing more.**

* * *

The silver Porsche pulled away from the garage parking lot, taking with it the devilishly handsome business man with skin as smooth and rich as a frothy cappuccino. Yugi replayed the image of the exotic man in his mind's eye. A single golden earring in the shape of a snake's fang dangled beneath his wild mane of hair. Scarlet eyes, the color of passion, burned with such vigor. Clearly, he was part of the untouchable elite – the upper-class social circle that few would ever glimpse. His movements and stance were almost regal; he carried himself with a confidence Yugi had never seen.

 _What would it be like to run my fingers along his warm skin, to feel his firm muscles tremble beneath my touch? He has to be a sex god; I wonder what it's like to make a prayer offering –_

"You have a crush on him, don't you Yug?" Joey's voice shattered Yugi's dreamy thoughts. "I saw the way you looked at him. You were glowing like there was no tomorrow."

Yugi sighed. "Was it that obvious? He probably thinks I'm some creep, the way I couldn't stop staring at him."

"Nah, I could tell he liked you too," the blonde continued as he worked on the Mercedes. The two friends were silent for a moment, absorbed in their work, when he spoke again.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Yugi snapped his head around to look at his friend. Had he heard him right? Joey grinned at him.

"You heard me, Yug. You like him, he likes you – what's the big deal?"

"Oh I don't know, Joey. Maybe it was the Armani shoes or the diamond encrusted watch or the solid gold pyramid pendant around his neck."

Joey stopped working and lifted his head, surprised at the minuscule details his friend remembered from just a two minute meeting. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It _means_ that he's way out of my league – unattainable. He's some gorgeous rich guy and I'm, well, filthy and covered in engine grease. Besides, he probably has a girlfriend anyway – "

"That's not what Seto told me," Joey said in a sing-song voice. "I was changing the oil in his Porsche last week and he told me a story of how his cousin 'always drags him to dance clubs and can't settle down with anyone.' He's single and ready to mingle. So go mingle already!"

Yugi laughed at his friend's corny joke. "Only you could come up with something that stupid, Joey."

"I'll tell you what _isn't_ stupid, Yug – you're my best friend and you're one hell of a catch. You're funny, you're smart, and you know practically everything about cars, which you learned from your best buddy, of course! Besides, maybe he _likes_ dirty boys." Joey winked a honeyed eye as his hands continued to work on the engine.

Yugi blushed from his friend's words. Sure, he was a good guy and all, but could he measure up to whatever Atem was expecting in a partner? Was he even willing to give Yugi a chance at his extravagant lifestyle? Wait a minute, what was he saying? Yugi didn't even know if Atem was interested in pursuing him! Heck, he wasn't even sure if the handsome business man…swung his way, for lack of a better term. Besides, if Atem was the kind of guy to go out to dance clubs all the time, would he treat Yugi like just another notch in his belt?

* * *

Seto sipped his iced coffee and continued to stare across the table at his cousin. They had gone to a nearby coffee shop in order to wait for the mechanics, but Atem hadn't touched his drink. Instead, he had been silently staring out the window with a soft, dopy smile on his face; his crimson eyes looked as glazed over as one of the donuts in the café's display case.

Seto rolled his ice-blue eyes. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Although Atem hadn't actually confessed to having a crush on the petite mechanic, Seto didn't need anyone to fill in the blanks for him.

"No," Atem lied, quickly plucking a different topic from his muddled brain. "I'm thinking about…the board members meeting tomorrow and how they want to get an inside look at the company – "

"Bullshit," Seto said, calling out his cousin. "You're thinking about your little _angel-eyed_ mechanic." He emphasized the words with a fake swoon and laughed haughtily.

"His name is _Yugi_ and he isn't _mine_." Atem's deep voice turned into a low growl. Was he protective of the little one already?

"That's right," Seto continued, getting under his cousin's skin. "You were too chicken to actually _say_ anything to him."

"I didn't _need_ to say anything," Atem said dryly, resting his hands behind his head and turning his nose in the air. "He had the car diagnosed in five seconds flat." Atem snapped his fingers to emphasize his point. "I'm sure his suspicions are accurate."

"How do you know? You don't know anything about cars," Seto snorted into his coffee.

"Just like you don't know anything about mergers and acquisitions?" Atem shot back. "And that's why you have to partner with your genius cousin in your own company?"

"A cousin _so_ genius, he can't even talk to an attractive man anymore without getting completely tongue-tied. You've lost all of your game and you know it." Seto knew he was pushing Atem's buttons, but it was just so much fun to get his cousin riled up.

"I have game!" Atem said a bit too loudly, as he received curious stares from other patrons in the coffee shop.

"Oh yeah? Then prove it," Seto challenged, pointing his drink at the other and swishing around the ice inside. He knew Atem could never back down from a bet; he had long-since earned the title 'The King of Games' and for good reason – the man practically had gambling in his blood.

"How?" Atem lifted a defined eyebrow at his cousin. He was interested. _Hook._

"Simple. You have to get Yugi to go out with you." _Line._

"I'm not going to use him like that. He's more than just a pawn in your stupid game," Atem scoffed.

"Yes, I'd feel scared too if I knew I didn't have the balls to rise to a challenge." _Sinker._

That did it. Seto his him where it hurt the most – his pride. "Alright, fine. I'll play your stupid game, but not because I want to prove you wrong – "

"No, of course not," Seto interrupted with a sarcastic tone.

As Atem leaned across the table, his burning crimson eyes targeted Seto. "I'm _doing_ it because I genuinely _like_ Yugi, okay?"

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night." Seto's ice-blue eyes were fixed in a frozen stare. He continued to sip his iced coffee through the straw, with the corners of his lips twitched upwards. Truthfully, he could care less about some foolish bet; what he _really_ wanted was for Atem to stop dragging him out to night clubs and bars.

Impervious to his cousin's arrogant smirk, Atem leaned back in his seat. Would Yugi actually go out with him? Surely, a beautiful creature like him would already be taken? Atem was suddenly filled with frustration. He wasn't used to this new insecure attitude. He was the confident, egotistical, self-righteous bastard his cousin always made him out to be…and, until he'd met Yugi, this was all he ever wanted to be.

He'd had his fair share of one-night-stands, which usually ended with him sneaking out of a strange apartment building in the early morning, leaving his date for the evening to wake up alone in a cold, empty bed. He could never fathom doing something like that to the little mechanic; his heart wrenched at the thought of ever breaking Yugi's heart.

Already he knew Yugi was special. Who else could make him feel this way based solely on a brief encounter and gut-feeling? The last hour had left him confused, twisted, and second guessing his life choices. He was an uncommitted and unfaithful lover; Yugi deserved so much more from him. But would he even get the chance to prove himself to Yugi? Would Yugi be willing to see beyond his playboy past?

* * *

Meanwhile, Seto watched in mock-fascination as Atem's crimson eyes turned glassy. Again. Clearly, his cousin was lost in thought. Again.

 _I've never seen him like this before. Maybe he really has lost his backbone over that little shrimp,_ Seto grumbled to himself. _It's borderline sickening. But maybe this is what he needs to get out of his pitiful downward spiral._

"Alright, it's been an hour!" Seto announced with a glance at his watch. He stood up and dragged his dopy cousin out of his daydreams and onto his unsteady feet. "Come on, loverboy, get a hold of yourself. Despite how much I want to see you make even more of an ass out of yourself, I actually have important things to do today."

* * *

As Seto's Porsche pulled into the garage parking lot, he honked his horn. Atem felt his stomach twist. He hardly recalled ever being this nervous, especially over something so trivial. It was just a date – wasn't it? All he had to do was ask a simple question.

At the sound of their arrival, Joey poked his blonde head out of the garage and bounded over to them over with a smile. "Well, Yugi was spot on – it was the head gasket alright. Not a pretty fix, but we can definitely do it for you. It'll be all set if you want to pick it up tomorrow."He leaned into the window of the Porsche and the blue-eyed man scowled when he noticed the grime on his hands.

"Get your filthy paws off my car, Wheeler."

Joey looked down and realized his mistake. "Whoops, sorry." He rubbed the grease spot with a corner of his sleeve, smudging it even more. Atem chuckled at Seto's furious grimace – he looked like he was about to burst into flames. The brief comical moment was enough to ease his nerves. For now.

Just then, Yugi stepped out of the garage and stood by Joey's side.

"Yes, that will be fine," Atem replied shakily. Why did Yugi's mere presence have such an effect on him?

"Great," said Joey. "How about you pick it up around 5? We should be all set by then."

"Sure," Atem was distracted by Yugi's bright smile, which was even more vivid in the sunlight.

"Alright, we'll see you tomorrow then!" Joey stepped back from the car and the two mechanics turned to walk back into the garage.

Atem's throat tightened. With each passing step Yugi took, his chance was slipping further away. Before he knew what he was doing, he bolted from the car and stumbled in front of Yugi, nearly out of breath from his sudden movement. When those beautiful amethyst eyes rounded on him and unleashed their hypnotizing powers, he knew there was no turning back from this moment.

 _It's now or never,_ he told himself as he took a deep breath to steady his voice.

"Hey," he croaked.

"Hey," Yugi replied, cheerful smile enveloping the business man.

"Ummm…what's up?" Atem nearly smacked himself for his idiocy. _'What's up?' Seriously?!_

Yugi's smile beamed brighter now. He continued to stare directly into Atem's eyes. "Nothing," he giggled. A rosy blush dusted his cheeks. "What's up with you?"

Atem felt a calming sensation wash over him. Yugi was blushing! That could only mean one thing, right?

"Nothing I guess," Atem replied, matching Yugi's blush with his own. "Hey, ummm – "

"You said that already," Yugi joked in response. His face was now fully flushed and his wide smile showed off his pearly white teeth.

Atem smiled down on the mechanic. "I suppose I did, didn't I?" he said with a hearty laugh at his own awkwardness.

 _Come on, just do it already! Stop being a fucking goofball and get a grip!_

"Willyougooutwithme?" Atem blurted out. The words tumbled out of his mouth as if they had a mind of their own; as if they were taking the initiative that Atem could not.

"What was that?" Yugi's eyes sparkled. He thought he heard right, but he wanted to make sure…

"Will you go out with me tomorrow night?" Atem's voice, to his surprise, came out as smooth as butter, unknowingly sending shivers up the mechanic's spine.

"Yes," Yugi said softly, not turning his dazzling eyes away from the business man.

Atem felt his heart swell. Yugi had just accepted his date! "Great," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yup, bye," Yugi squeaked cutely, running inside the garage.

Atem walked on clouds back to his cousin's waiting Porsche.

"Wow," Seto couldn't hold back his laughter. "You've won first place in the 'most pathetic attempt to ask someone out' contest." He held out his fist in front of Atem's mouth, as if it were a microphone. "Tell us, winner, how does it feel?"

Atem, grabbed his cousin's fist and spoke into it honestly, feeling lighter than air. "It feels absolutely _amazing_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Thanks to all who read and reviewed my previous chapter! Sorry this chapter is a bit late. I was in Washington DC last weekend visiting friends and I didn't have time to write while I was down there. I could have posted about half the chapter before I left but I assumed most people would want the extended chapter! :D**

 **Here it is - enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh or its characters.**

* * *

"What do you think, Atem?"

"Huh?" The crimson-eyed man's mind snapped back into place. Was he daydreaming again? "What?"

His cousin's icy stare met his eyes across the cherry-wood table. Sunlight poured into the lavish conference room through large windows, overlooking the other skyscrapers of the city. Six board members of Kaiba Corporation were looking at him expectantly.

"We were just discussing our merging strategy in the acquisition of Duke Devlin's small gaming company," Seto drawled, an edge of frustration in his voice. "I proposed that we make him an offer for the rights to his Dungeon Dice Monsters. I will draw up the contract and you will be meeting with him this afternoon to discuss the deal. Do you have anything to add?"

Atem blinked, his brain processing the information. "No, I don't think so."

"In that case, this meeting is adjourned. Good day gentlemen, thank you for coming." The six men rose from the table and politely bowed; Atem and Seto mimicked the motion. When the other men were out of the room, Seto rounded on his cousin.

"So _loverboy_ , how were things for you in la-la-land while we were in the middle of an important meeting?" Seto's face was contorted in a deep scowl.

"Pffft, who cares? Those men are flaky, worthless crooks and you know it. And that Jennings is dumber than a box of rocks – "

"You'd better not blow the deal with Duke this afternoon," Seto hissed.

"Duke Devlin is a horse's ass," Atem shrugged, his crimson eyes boring into Seto's.

"That may be, but he can drive a hard bargain. I'd hate to think you've lost your touch. He'll be here at 2 o' clock sharp. Don't be late." His cousin stormed out of the conference room, his blue trench coat billowing out behind him.

Atem frowned, silently dreading his afternoon meeting with Duke Devlin – pretty boy of the gaming industry. The man had a reputation for attempting to seduce everyone around him, with apparently zero shame. Worse, he practically worshipped the ground Seto walked on, which made him completely insufferable, in Atem's humble opinion. Seto was known for his ruthless business tactics and using his attitude to get whatever he wanted – something that only really worked for Seto Kaiba but that Duke Devlin constantly tried to imitate, much to Atem's dismay.

* * *

"In exchange for your company, this contract states that you will receive a 7% royalty for every Dungeon Dice Monsters game sold in Japan." Atem plopped a stack of papers in front of a man with jet-black hair whose emerald eyes sparkled with mischief. "In addition to the amount on the bottom of the last page."

Duke's eyes widened in delight before his arrogance quickly took over and masked his surprise. "You guys are crazy. I'm not signing this! This contract is an insult!" Duke threw the stack of papers down on Atem's desk, feigning wounded pride.

Atem rolled his eyes. _Don't worry Duke, your ego is big enough for the two of us._ He had hoped that it wouldn't come to this, but Atem was prepared to handle the pretty boy.

"There will be no negotiations on this contract," Atem said simply. "If you refuse this offer, there will not be another." Atem folded his hands neatly and waited for Duke's response.

Duke eyed the other suspiciously, trying to gauge his seriousness. This guy was bluffing, he just had to be!

"No deal," Duke replied, crossing his arms and sitting back in his seat.

Across the desk, Atem raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Then I bid you good day, Mr. Devlin. Good luck on your future endeavors." Atem stood up and held out his hand for the arrogant pretty boy to shake and hopefully be on his merry little way.

Duke didn't move. Exactly who did this guy think he was, pushing him around like this? But he'd be lying if he denied being a little turned on by his brashness. "I demand to see Seto Kaiba. He promised me a generous deal – "

"Which you just refused," Atem interrupted, withdrawing his unshaken hand. Couldn't Devlin take a hint? "The CEO of Kaiba Corporation is an extremely busy man and he does not appreciate you wasting his time. If you waited to see him, I assure you, he would not be as… _polite_ as I have been." Atem smirked, eager for this guy to get the hell out of his office.

Devlin matched his smirk. Oh, this guy was good. "Alright, you win. I'll accept the contract on one condition."

"We don't have time for conditions," Atem snapped. "Perhaps I haven't made myself clear – there will be _no negotiations_ on this contract."

"Don't worry," Duke said with a wink. "I think you'll enjoy this particular condition. I'll accept the contract if you take me out tonight, just you and me."

Atem was immediately repulsed, even more so than he already had been. But he couldn't let the other man see that and still kept a professional demeanor. "Regretfully, I have a previous engagement tonight."

"Ooooh, rain check then?" Devlin smirked again, apparently not realizing that his invitation had been rejected. Forever. "But I'll accept that deal in the meantime."

"Good," Atem was relieved. Now Seto wouldn't crucify his ass for Duke Devlin walking out on the deal. "Sign, initial and date the bottom of each page of the contract."

Devin hastily obeyed, his greed growing hungrier after each page. He would be a fool to pass up this deal; it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now he could live the extravagant lifestyle he had always wanted – a blanket of girls surrounding him, champagne, hot tubs, those little mints the hotel puts on your pillow –

Atem cleared his throat, disrupting Duke's dreams of living the high life. He was still waiting for Duke's signature on the final page of the contract, which he hurriedly finished. With the click of the pen, the deal was done and Duke Devlin was officially a rich man. He should remember to go out and celebrate tonight.

Duke slowly slid the pen across Atem's desk. In a final attempt of seduction, he whispered "I wrote my phone number on the back page as well. My _personal_ phone number, in case you change your mind."

Atem's eyes burned with such fury that Duke swore he felt a rise in temperature. After leaving Atem with one last disgusting wink, the emerald-eyed man made his way out of the office, leaving Atem alone at last. In his sheer frustration, he hadn't noticed that he had been gripping the signed contract so tightly that it was now permanently crinkled. Atem wanted to actually finish the job and mash the bunch of papers into a tightly compacted paper wad, but Seto probably would not have found the amusement in this.

Fighting against his desire to teach his cousin some level of humor, Atem placed the contract back down on his desk and collapsed into his chair. He glanced at his desk clock, which reminded him of the person who was waiting for him after this dreadful day's end. He was filled with longing as a cheerful smile and bright amethyst eyes popped into his mind, calming his nerves.

 _Only two and a half more hours until I can see Yugi._

* * *

"Alright Yug, don't forget to tighten those bolts and grease 'em up good. Yug? Earth to Yugi! Hey, are you in there pal?" Joey waved his hands frantically to get his friend's attention.

Yugi blinked as his eyes refocused. Was he lost in his thoughts again? "Sorry, Joey. I was just thinking…"

"What else is new, Yug?" Joey flashed his signature crooked smile. "You've been lost in the clouds for half the day. You aren't nervous, are you?"

Yugi smiled sadly back at his friend. His eyes revealed what his words didn't have to; Joey could read him like a book.

"Yug, you're crazy. Stop worrying already! He's going to think you're amazing after he spends less than five minutes with you. And if he doesn't, then Uncle Joey will have something to say to Mr. Fancypants."

Yugi laughed slightly. "Thanks Joey. I guess I'm letting my nerves get to me too much. Every time I look at the clock I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to sheer embarrassment."

"Nahhh, I think you kids will have a great time wherever you go. Do you know where he's taking you?"

"No idea," Yugi sighed.

"Well I'm sure you'll love it. Do you know what you're going to wear yet?"

Yugi's eyes widened. He hadn't even planned an outfit! He had been so busy worrying about other things, he forgot to worry about his clothes! And now Atem would be picking him up in an hour and he'd have nothing to wear but his grease-stained rags –

"Yugi!"

As the petite mechanic turned to ask what the blonde wanted, his chest was hit with a spray of motor oil. Joey had thrown the cruddy goop at him!

"Joey what the hell are you thinking?!" He looked like he had just crawled out of a tar pit. How was he supposed to impress Atem now?

"I'm _thinking_ that you need to go home right now and _change your clothes_ ," Joey said with a smirk. "You need to _clean up_ , because you're _dirty_."

Yugi gaped at his friend in confusion until Joey's words sunk into his mind. Leave it to the blonde to find a crazy way to make him leave work early to clean up for a date. But it was generous of him nonetheless.

Joey laughed maniacally as he practically shoved his friend outside. "Yug, this is my way of telling you to go home and catch your breath for a second. Take a shower, pick out something sexy to wear, and then come back here to impress Mr. Handsome, yeah?"

Yugi took in Joey's commands, nodded, and carried out the deeds as if on autopilot. As Joey watched him drive away, he sighed before turning back to finish his work. _That boy doesn't give himself enough credit._

* * *

Atem watched as his desk clock finally read 4:30 – time to go pick up his Mercedes and take his little angel out to dinner. Just then, Seto burst into his office, right on time as usual.

"Are you ready to go, loverboy?"

"No, give me five minutes to change my clothes. I brought them with me." He pulled out a small gym bag and took it to the bathroom as Seto pouted in one of his office chairs.

Five minutes later, Atem emerged from the bathroom dressed in tight black leather pants and a red silk shirt that matched his fiery eyes and showed off his tanned chest with a deep v-neck cut. Shiny black boots and his signature golden pyramid pendant completed the look.

"Now I'm ready," he announced.

Seto glanced in his direction, arms crossed. "You look like a porn star."

"Who says I'm not?" Atem replied with a naughty smirk. He laughed when he saw his cousin's disgusted facial expression. "Kidding! Come on, let's go."

* * *

As they pulled into the garage parking lot, a familiar blonde came bounding out to greet them.

"Hey guys!" He said happily. "Atem, I think you'll be very pleased with the work we did. Come on in and I'll show you!"

Truthfully, as he stared down into the engine components of his treasured Mercedes, he wasn't listening to a word the blonde mechanic was saying. Instead, he was looking out of the corner of his eye for a different kind of treasure. Where was Yugi? Atem hoped it wasn't in the petite mechanic's nature to stand someone up on a date.

Still in a daze, Atem paid Joey for the work. Just as he was putting his wallet back into his pocket, a beautiful sight caught his eye. There was Yugi, looking every bit as delectable as a succulent treat, just waiting to be tasted. A plum purple shirt contrasted against his creamy, flawless skin. Dark jeans hid his slender legs, but were just tight enough to tease the mind and make his rear-end look irresistible. A simple silver chain hung from his neck and reflected the jewel-like sparkle in his amethyst eyes.

"Hey," Yugi said shyly.

"Beautiful…" Atem breathed, his jaw dropped open. Seto nudged him in the ribs, silently telling him to scrape his jaw off the floor.

"You look wonderful," Atem said, composing himself. He was delighted to see a subtle blush make its way across Yugi's cheeks.

"Thank you, so do you." Yugi said nervously.

"Well, you two kids get out of here already!" Joey interrupted, feeling as though the two guys could gawk at each other for the entire night. "Have fun, yeah?"

Atem opened the door of the Mercedes to let Yugi in the passenger side.

"Such a gentleman," Yugi giggled. Atem closed the door with a smirk and made his way around to let himself in the driver's side door. He started the ignition and turned to his passenger.

"Are you ready?" He purred lowly, his deep voice sending vibrations through Yugi's entire body.

"Of course. Where are we going?" Yugi asked.

"It's a surprise," Atem said mysteriously. He carefully backed his car out of the garage and turned onto the street, both passengers eager for the night ahead.

* * *

"You're taking me to The _Emerald_?" Standing outside of the restaurant, Yugi was in shock. The Emerald was known for being the most luxurious restaurant in town, with the price tag to match, of course. No one he knew had ever gotten a reservation here – you had to know someone of the "upper crust" to be put on the list. He had passed the restaurant many times since it was only down the street from Burger World, his go-to dinner spot. But the food here was fabled to be magnificent.

"Of course." Atem put his hands on Yugi's shoulders to steady him. "You deserve a beautiful dinner." _In fact, you deserve more than that._

"But doesn't this place have a dress code or something? Won't they kick us out?" Yugi was starting to get nervous again.

"Relax, Yugi. Seto and I are the highest sponsors of their annual charity dinners. It would be foolish of them to offend me, or my lovely guest." Atem winked a ruby eye at Yugi. "Now, come. We have reservations."

Walking into the restaurant was like walking into the first-class dinner scene of the Titanic – crystal chandeliers dazzled overhead; smooth oak tables were covered with linen tablecloths and delicate china; exquisite champagne flutes caught the light and sparkled on the tables like decorative jewels. Lush emerald-green carpet stretched from wall to wall like a vibrant meadow.

Light jazz music played overhead as if the diners here should have no care in the world.

"Name, please?" Asked a well-dressed hostess with a snobbish look on her face.

"Sennen," Atem replied.

The hostess' eyes widened as a plastered smile replaced her scowl. "Oh, nice to see you again Mr. Sennen! I'll show you to your table. Right this way, please!"

Soft banter echoed through the dining room as they followed the hostess to the back of the restaurant. Hushed voices, whispers, and stares seemed to trail Yugi's movement through the dining room. Yugi was sure the other diners were talking about him and most likely were not saying the nicest of things.

 _Maybe it's the fact that I came here wearing simple jeans and a shirt, not some three-piece suit._

Once the two sat down at their assigned table, the hostess scooted off back to her post. A quick glance at the restaurant menu proved to Yugi that he was way out of his league – most of the menu was written in what appeared to be Italian.

"Sooo, what are you looking at?" Yugi asked his date, hoping for a clue as to what he could order. He was sure they didn't have simple cheeseburgers on the menu.

"Earlier I was thinking about salmon, but now that I'm looking at it, I could go for some red meat. Their steak is quite superb." Atem looked up from the menu and smiled. "Please get whatever you want, Yugi."

Yugi closed his menu, admitting to himself that he knew nothing about fine dining. "I'll have whatever you have."

"Careful, Yugi. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Atem smirked again, making Yugi's head spin.

"Uh oh," Yugi joked. "Maybe I should get something else then. You have a big enough head as it is, Mr. Important-Who-Gets-Reservations-At-The-Emerald."

Atem laughed. "Oh? And you think I eat here nightly? I only took you here so you could have a beautiful dinner. Most of this stuff is too fancy for me, honestly."

"No kidding. Joey and I go to Burger World at least twice a week."

"Burger World!" Atem laughed. "I used to go there all the time, years ago. That's where I would spend my late nights in college, before I worked for Seto. Man, they do make a tasty burger."

Yugi smiled and nodded in agreement. He was relieved that Atem shared his love for a good cheeseburger. Surely they had more in common than that and Yugi couldn't wait to know more about the attractive man sitting across from him. "So how long have you worked for Seto then?"

Before Atem could answer, a waiter came over to their table, temporarily stalling their conversation.

"Good evening, Mr. Sennen and welcome back to The Emerald. May I get drinks for the two of you?"

"I'll have a glass of the German Riesling. Yugi, what do you want to drink?"

"Uhhh, how about a Corona?"

The waiter visibly bristled at Yugi's request; most diners here did not order beer with their meals but instead ordered something more classy and refined.

"Right away, sirs." The waiter quickly scurried out of sight.

"Well, I guess it's great that I made it a whole five minutes in this restaurant before I offended someone," Yugi said sadly.

Atem rolled his eyes. "Don't pay attention to anyone in here, Yugi. They don't matter. Trust me." He smiled warmly at Yugi, melting his worries away.

"You know," Yugi started. "You're absolutely right about – "

"Atem?" An unknown voice interrupted. "Is that you?"

Atem turned around in his chair, only to be confronted by piercing emerald eyes. His stomach dropped as he looked at the last face he wanted to see, which belonged to none other than Duke Devlin.

"Mr. Devlin, nice to see you," Atem lied, trying to maintain his civility. But his eyes burned with a murderous glint.

"Likewise," Duke said smoothly. "And it's nice to see you too, Yugi."

Atem paused and glanced at his date, who was busy burying his face in his hands. "Do you two know each other?"

"Oh, I know Yugi very well, if you know what I mean." Duke winked, sending a disgusting mental image into Atem's head.

"Did you two used to… _date_?" Atem asked, flabbergasted.

"Oh, we did more than that, didn't we Yugi?" Duke's smirk sickened Atem to his core. How could this asshole talk about Yugi in such a demeaning way?

"Duke, stop. Please." Yugi said, his face still in his hands. Other patrons in the restaurant were starting to stare at the unfolding scene, overhearing Duke's perverted comments. Atem would never want to get involved with him now that his troublemaker ex-boyfriend had crashed their date.

"Oh, come on Yugi, I'm just having some fun for old time's sake." Duke's eyes locked onto Atem's and it suddenly occurred to Atem that they were no longer a vivid emerald color…they were actually more like puke-green.

"Duke, I think you should leave. Now." Atem growled, danger filling his voice.

Duke still didn't catch the hint. Apparently he couldn't see murder when it was an inch from his face. "So Atem, this is your 'previous engagement' then?"

"Duke, I'm warning you – if you don't get the _hell_ out of here right now, I'm going to punch you in the face." Atem stood up, facing his opponent, begging him to provide a reason for a fight. Yugi's eyes widened from behind his hands. Atem wouldn't do that in such a nice restaurant, would he?

"Oh, come now, Atem, I mean no harm. Actually I think you two make a delightful couple, but I'm surprised – I didn't know you were into _sloppy seconds_."

That was all Atem needed. His balled fist collided with Duke's jaw as he sent the man flying across the restaurant, crashing into a table and knocking off the expensive dinner ware. The onlookers gasped and several stood up to check on Duke's condition. The man was out cold, lying in a heap among broken glass and shattered dishes.

Yugi stood up, completely embarrassed at the disruption his mere presence had caused. "Atem. I-I think I should go…"

"Shhh," Atem soothed gently, placing a warm hand on Yugi's shoulder. "We'll both go." He took his wallet out and shoved a chunk of money at the nearest waiter, who was almost too frightened to take the cash. "Here, this should cover the damage and then some. I apologize for the disturbance."

He held out his arm for a surprised Yugi to take. "Come, little one. After all this excitement, I could go for a cheeseburger. And I hear Burger World is right down the street." Atem winked as the younger took his arm, clinging to it like a life preserver as they walked out of the restaurant, which was now filled with stunned looks and hurried whispers.

"You s-still want to go out with me? After all of the trouble I caused?" Yugi's wide eyes were dotted with tears as he nervously awaited Atem's answer.

"That wasn't your fault and it had nothing to do with you, so don't worry. Duke Devlin is just a horse's ass." Atem smiled and held his date tighter as they made their way over to Atem's parked Mercedes.

Yugi felt his worry melt away. He couldn't believe his luck – Atem still wanted to continue the date! The two got into the car and Atem pulled away from The Emerald.

"So Yugi, where do you want to go?" Atem turned towards his companion.

Yugi flashed a toothy smile, his worries forgotten. "Burger World sounds great!"

* * *

 **Next chapter - the date continues! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! Next chapter is here! Thanks to all who read and reviewed last chapter :)**

 **I apologize in advance for any errors/mistakes. I didn't have as much time as usual to spend on my edits.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or the characters!**

* * *

As Yugi and Atem walked into Burger World, the sweet smell of fryers and grease wafted into their nostrils. Yugi took a deep breath and let the familiar odor surround him. He and Joey had their share of long nights here, since it was open 24/7. This place had memories in every corner, under these same harsh neon lights, in these same bright red vinyl booths. Some of the memories were happy and flooded Yugi with nostalgia. This was where they had met their friend Téa. This was where the gang would unwind after exhausting school days. This was where Yugi and Joey had sat and tirelessly worked to study for their final exams.

These were the memories Yugi was comforted by. Others were not so pleasant – family struggles, fights, breakups… but he shoved these negative thoughts from his mind in order to enjoy this moment with his date.

He looked up at Atem, who seemed to be taking his own stroll down memory lane. Warmth flooded through Yugi's chest as he cracked a small smile. Maybe they didn't have too much in common, but at least they could bond over this place.

Atem noticed the smaller's gaze and met it with his own soft smile. "What'll you have, Yugi?"

"Bacon double-cheeseburger with seasoned fries and a Sprite." Yugi's signature order rolled off his tongue automatically. _Old habits die hard, don't they?_

"Yeah right," Atem quipped. "Where are you gonna put it all?"

"Pfffft," Yugi rolled his eyes. "Just because I'm smaller than average, don't think I can't eat like a big boy."

"Alright then," Atem laughed. This kid sure had some spunk. "I'll order at the counter if you go grab us a seat."

"Sure thing." Yugi walked over to stake his claim on the corner booth. He had always liked this one the best because it was nice and roomy. After several minutes, Atem brought over two trays heaped with food and sat down across from Yugi.

"Whadja get?" Yugi asked, taking his tray.

"Same as you, but with Dr. Pepper instead."

"What happened to your 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' statement?" Yugi joked, arching an eyebrow.

Atem smirked over his unwrapped cheeseburger. "Ahh, well. Take from it what you will. Anyway, cheers, Yugi." He held his burger to Yugi's as someone would toast a glass of champagne. The two chewed in content silence until Atem broke it.

"It's been a long time since I've been in here," he began, his ruby eyes glancing around the small burger joint. "It's nice to see that nothing's changed."

Yugi smiled. "That's what I love the most about this place. No matter what's going on outside, whether it's good or bad, there's nothing that can't be solved over a tasty burger."

"You and Joey used to come here, right?" Atem sipped his drink and stared at Yugi with interest.

Yugi nodded. "We still do, actually. We've been coming here since middle school really. We've been friends a long time." He took another bite of his burger.

"That's nice." Atem smiled. "I don't have any friends that close. I've always been too independent."

"What about Seto?"

"Cousins don't count," Atem laughed. "Besides, he's just as independent as I am."

"So you would come here _alone_?" Yugi suddenly felt empathetic towards Atem; he knew what it was like not to have any friends.

"Yeah, it was kind of a solitary point in my life. That's actually around the time I got my Mercedes." Atem stopped. "But I don't want to bore you with such a story."

"No, no. You won't bore me," Yugi said hurriedly. "I mean, that's the whole point of tonight, right? Us getting to know each other?" He rested his jaw in his hands and leaned forward expectantly to show his interest.

A small smile graced Atem's lips. "Right you are, Yugi." He took a sip of his soda and cleared his throat. "So, something you don't know about me is that I come from money. I mean, I don't know if you could tell – "

"I could tell," Yugi interrupted. He giggled at Atem's stunned face. "Haha, sorry. You just have such an, I don't know, _regal_ posture and an air of confidence around you. It's a little obvious."

Atem fought the slight blush rising in his cheeks from the compliments. "Well, thanks. Anyway, my father was an important official for the government of Egypt. That's where I was born and raised until I was about ten years old. Then my family moved here to the United States so I could get a better education."

"Wow, Egypt!" Yugi exclaimed. _That would explain the sun-kissed complexion and that heart-stopping jaw line._ "That's the coolest thing I've ever heard! I've always wanted to go there. My grandfather is an archaeologist with a fascination for Ancient Egyptian culture. He would always go on digs and bring back cool trinkets for me. I guess it's something I pretty much grew up with and learned a ton about."

 _Another thing we have in common,_ Atem thought. "Haha, your grandfather sounds like an interesting man. I'd like to meet him one day and talk all about my native homeland. Anyway, back to the story."

"Oops, sorry." Yugi felt sheepish for interrupting. He didn't want to come off as rude.

Luckily, Atem didn't see it that way. "That's fine, Yugi. I like your enthusiasm." He winked a scarlet eye to show his sincerity. "Now, where were we? Ah yes. So, I had just moved here to the States and my father enrolled me in prep school, along with my older cousin Seto whom he adopted when his father, my uncle, passed away."

Atem hesitated and looked reluctant to continue the story.

"What's wrong?" Yugi piped up.

"Ahh, well. I'm a little embarrassed now, but I wasn't the…best student in school. I mean, I did my school work…when I felt like it. But I tended to…get in trouble. Often. I was sort of rebellious when I was younger."

Yugi threw back his head and laughed. "Haha, oh wow. What did you do?"

Atem's cheeks tingled with embarrassment. "What didn't I do? One of my friends, Bakura, and I used to skip class, pull pranks, and one time we even set fire to the school." When Yugi's eyes widened, Atem hurriedly added "But it was an accident, I swear!"

At that confession, Yugi laughed even harder.

"It was an accident!" Atem repeated, in desperate defense of his younger self.

"How – do you – _accidentally_ – set fire – to the school?!" Yugi asked between laughs.

"Well, it wasn't _my_ _idea_ , this was all Bakura," Atem snorted. "He was pissed off that he failed some test, so he set fire to the test paper with his lighter. He threw it in the trash can but he didn't extinguish the flames all the way so the trash caught fire. Then, the whole bin went up in flames and the fire alarm went off, which of course sent us into a panic. Next thing we knew, we were sprinting down the hall to avoid getting caught. The whole school had to be evacuated until the fire department came."

Now, Yugi was wracked with uncontrollable fits of laughter. "You were – such a – _troublemaker_!" Tears leaked from his eyes as he imagined a young Atem running away from a burning trash can.

The jovial sight before him sent rays of warmth throughout Atem's body. Yugi's cheerful laugh sounded almost musical. And was it really possible for those amethyst eyes to sparkle like precious gems? Best of all, Atem was positive that his toothy smile could brighten up his darkest days. Yugi's happiness was contagious and Atem was happy to join in the laughter.

"Oh man," Yugi said, his laughter dying down. He wiped a tear from his eye and popped a French fry in his mouth. "Did you ever get caught?"

"Surprisingly not," Atem answered. "But we were punished for other pranks. And of course, this didn't make my father very happy."

Yugi's smile framed his face as he nodded at Atem to continue the original story. How did they keep getting side tracked?

"So, when my father got word from the school of all the trouble I had been in, he threatened to cut me off financially and not pay for my college education. Honestly, at the time I didn't even care. I was sick of being told what to do and how to do it. I wasn't even sure if I wanted this life that he had planned out for me, without my consent. His plan was always for me to go to school for business so I could become some respectable corporate airhead and honor the family with my success. Essentially, he was forcing me to live _his_ lifestyle and go down the path that _he_ chose for himself."

"Wow, I'm sorry," Yugi said sympathetically. "I can't imagine how that must feel."

Atem sighed, remembering his past. "I just felt trapped. Like I was being pushed towards something I didn't want. So I told my father that I didn't want or need his handouts, and that I would do things on my own terms without his financial help. When I finally graduated from prep school when I was eighteen, it was a bit of a culture shock for me to be on my own.

"At first I just had fun. I was a regular at the casino and that's how I made money – by gambling. I was pretty good at everything but Blackjack was always my favorite game. Everyone called me 'the King of Games.' All I had was my title and the crappy apartment I lived in but, at the time, that was all I wanted for my life. In a way, it was the ultimate freedom – I didn't have to listen to anyone's rules or abide by some prewritten plan for my life. I was on my own for the first time, but that freedom came with a cost.

"I didn't have a sense of responsibility and worse, zero sense of direction for where I wanted to take my life. I was striving to prove to the whole world and all the people in it, that I could do something without the help of my father's money. I was a little down on my luck at that point – I was spending way more than I was making at the casino, my bills were piling up, my life was going nowhere, and I was in a sort of downward spiral without even realizing it. Until Seto stepped in and knocked some sense into me."

Atem laughed slightly at the memory. Yugi remained silent, waiting for him to finish the story.

"He showed up at my apartment one day dressed in a fancy suit. He took one look around, shook his head and said 'You're better than this, Atem.' After he left, it took me a while to realize it but I knew he was right. I didn't want to waste my life trying to be some high roller, stuck in a rut. So I took a walk to collect my thoughts and figure out how to get my life back together and secure my future. Here I am, contemplating my life, when I walked by a car dealership.

"I saw an old, forest-green Mercedes and I just felt so drawn to it, like it was meant to be mine. Well, a few games of Blackjack later, I had enough money to pay for the car in cash and I've had it ever since. Then, it just seemed like everything turned around for me after that point. I enrolled in the university and then Seto even offered me an internship at his newly established company while I was studying. I never really liked being in the business world, but I found out that I was good at it. Seto must have noticed too because he offered me a job when I graduated. I've been working for him ever since, so about two years."

Atem let silence settle between them as he glanced out the window towards his beloved Mercedes in the parking lot.

"Wow," Yugi whispered, taking in the rest of the story. "That's an amazing story, Atem. I think it shows a definite strength about you, being able to get where you are today from your own hard work. I mean, look how far you've come since then!"

"Oh, come on, you give me too much credit," Atem said bashfully.

"No I mean it," Yugi insisted. "That's very inspirational."

Atem felt his chest swell as he let himself accept Yugi's praise. "Thank you, Yugi."

"You're welcome, Atem. Geez, no wonder you're so attached to that Mercedes!"

Atem sighed as he dreaded the day that Mercedes would finally call it quits. He hoped it wasn't anywhere in the near future. "Yes, it's certainly brought me through the toughest times of my life. It was always dependable and I have so many memories in that car – road trips, long nights, driving through crazy amounts of snow…that car's definitely seen it all. I guess that's why I'm so desperate to hold onto it. The deeper I get into the corporate lifestyle that I never really wanted, the more I try to hold onto a piece of my old self, with the one thing in my life that represents hope and stability. And, call me superstitious, but I think that car brings me good luck. It tends to lead me down the right path."

Atem winked at Yugi, who smiled and once again lit up the room.

"So whatever happened to your old friend Bakura?" Yugi asked. "Is he still causing trouble?"

Atem laughed at the question. "More trouble than you can understand, I'm sure. Actually, it's funny – Bakura and I lost touch after we graduated prep school but Seto hired him as his limo driver about a year ago. I've never seen anyone with a worse road rage than that crazy kid. It's a wonder that he's even still alive with the way he drives, but as long as Seto gets to his destination in one piece, he doesn't care what laws Bakura breaks."

 _Wait, Bakura. Bakura? Why did that name sound so familiar?_ Yugi wracked his brain for where he had heard that name before tonight. Suddenly, it dawned on him.

"Actually, I think Joey knows him. He does all the repairs for him when Bakura gets into his, ah, _accidents_."

"Oh, so that's how Bakura and Joey know each other. Doesn't surprise me. Bakura was the one who recommended Joey's work to Seto. But enough about me. I feel like I've been talking all night. I want to hear about you, Yugi. How did you come to work for Joey?"

"Well," Yugi began before realizing his drink was empty. "If I'm going to tell this story, I need a refill. Want one?"

Atem rose from the booth. "You don't have to do that – "

"Atem, please, it's not a big deal. Let me get you a refill." Yugi held a hand on Atem's shoulder, gently coaxing him to sit back down. He took Atem's empty cup and refilled both drinks with the clerk at the counter. He returned back to the booth with two full cups.

"One Dr. Pepper," Yugi slid the drink across the table at Atem.

"Thank you." Atem took a large gulp. "Ahh, that hits the spot. So, now that we're both quenched for the time being, let's continue our conversation." He locked eyes with Yugi, eager to hear the mechanic's story.

Yugi nodded. "Right, well. I told you earlier than Joey and I have been best friends since middle school. We used to come here all the time with our other friend Tristan. Then in high school we met a girl who worked here named Téa; she was our server so many times, then one day she just joined our group and we've all been friends ever since. In high school, the four of us were always together, through thick and thin. Then after graduation, everyone went their separate ways – Téa went to New York City to study dance and Tristan joined the military. Then, Joey and I were on our own again.

"My grandfather always put my education first, so he enrolled me in the local community college. I took some general classes there but it never really felt right to me, like I was meant to be somewhere else. Actually, that's where I met Duke Devlin, if you've been wondering." Yugi blushed and looked away in embarrassment as he recalled the earlier incident at The Emerald.

"It's alright little one," Atem soothed. "I'm not judging you over your past." He reached his hand forward and placed it on top of Yugi's, gently stroking the smooth skin with his thumb.

Yugi looked up and locked eyes with his date. It felt good not to be judged over something like that. He cracked a small smile. "Thanks, Atem. But he wasn't always such an ass in the beginning. When I met him, he was a nice guy and fun to be around. And he had this super cool idea for a dice game that he was working on getting into production. 'Dungeon Dice Monsters' he called it. But after a while, he just became obsessed with his idea and how it was going to make him rich. The more into it he got, the more of an asshole he became."

Atem nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Yugi. That must have been hard for you."

"It was," Yugi agreed. "He used to always put me down and tell him that I didn't fit into the 'rich lifestyle' he wanted. Then he started seeing some wannabe model behind my back. When we broke up, I was devastated for a while but then Joey convinced me that this could be my opportunity to make a change in my life. He said he was starting a small garage and wanted me to work for him as a mechanic. Joey and I had loved cars since we were kids; we'd always talk about our dream cars and what it would be like to work on old cars all day long."

"And here you are living your childhood dream." Atem winked. "That must feel wonderful for you. So what exactly _is_ your dream car, Yugi?" He raised a curious eyebrow.

"I'd be lying if I told you it was anything other than a 1966 Ford Mustang convertible," Yugi answered. "I've always had a thing for classic cars."

"Good choice." Atem chuckled. "So then what happened?"

"Well, Joey took out a loan and started the garage. It's been just him and I ever since. That was about three years ago. Grandpa didn't like the idea in the beginning, but he came around."

"That's good. So you live with him then?"

"Yeah actually," Yugi admitted. "Just to make sure he's okay because he's getting old. I would worry too much about him if I lived anywhere else. Sorry, I hope you don't think I'm some loser who still lives at home – "

"That's not what I think at all," Atem interjected. "I think it's very kind of you to take care of your grandfather. He seems like a great man. Do you…" Atem didn't know how to phrase his next question politely. "Do you ever talk to your parents?"

Yugi laughed at Atem's awkwardness. He was used to people getting the wrong idea, that he was an orphan. "Oh yeah, we talk on the phone all the time. They've just always travelled a lot so I've lived with grandpa since I was little. They're a photojournalism team – mom takes the pictures and dad writes the corresponding stories. Their work has been in all sorts of magazines. It's hard to keep track of them but they send postcards. Right now they're in the Philippines."

Atem was blown away. "Wow that sounds amazing. So they get to travel all over the world?"

"Yeah!" Yugi said, excitedly. "And they took me on a few trips when I was little. I've been to Japan, Argentina, and Ghana. Almost went to Ireland with them, but that didn't work out."

"Wow," Atem repeated. He was stunned and, admittedly, a little jealous. "I had no idea you were so well-travelled."

Yugi giggled. "Well, I've never been to Egypt, so that's something you have over me."

"Oh yeah, little one? Well if you think that's cool then how about this…"

* * *

As they talked into the night, the French fries dwindled and their drinks were sipped dry. But they didn't even notice. With every change of subject, the two men discovered a new thing they had in common – a hobby (playing games), likes (pizza, thunderstorms, and Tom Hanks movies), and dislikes (shopping and brussel sprouts). They disagreed on some things, like what was the best video game series of all time.

"Okay, I think you're forgetting about Donkey Kong," said Yugi.

"No," said Atem. "I am _very_ aware of Donkey Kong; it's a great game series. But not the best. That title belongs to Mario."

"No it doesn't," Yugi retorted. "Donkey Kong graphics are way better, and the music is amazing."

"True, it has a great soundtrack. But Mario has a better villain. Bowser is the shit."

"Well Donkey Kong has Diddy Kong."

"Well Mario has Yoshi."

"Well," Yugi couldn't think of a response to that, except one. "Shut up!"

Both men erupted into laughter. Even when they were debating, they were having fun. Until Yugi glanced at his watch.

"Oh my God! It's 1AM! We've been sitting here for hours." He hadn't even noticed that the time had gone by so quickly. Good thing Burger World was a 24 hour burger joint.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for keeping you out Yugi," Atem said, not wanting the night to end. "I guess it's true that time flies when you're having fun. Shall I take you back home?"

"Yeah," Yugi said sadly. He didn't want the night to end either but it would be worse for him to stay out and completely mess up his sleep schedule.

Atem sensed the little one's reluctance. "Don't worry Yugi. How about I take you out again next weekend? I promise I won't ruin the evening and get into any more fights."

Yugi laughed, still feeling somewhat glad that Atem had punched Duke in the face. He didn't condone the violence, but Duke sort of deserved it with his snide comments.

"That sounds awesome," he replied.

After they shared a smile, the two cleaned up their booth and made their way outside to the waiting Mercedes. Once inside, Yugi directed Atem where to go to drop him off at home. As the car pulled up to the darkened game shop, Atem gasped in recognition.

"You live here?" He asked in surprise. "I've been to this game shop tons of times."

"Really?" Yugi asked. "Small world."

"That it is, little one." Atem smiled as he and Yugi made eye contact. A thick silence hung in the air between them. His heart quickened as the moonlight illuminated those amethyst eyes.

"I had a wonderful time with you tonight, Yugi." Atem's deep voice split the silence and worked its sultry magic on the other.

"I did too," Yugi said. Atem's face was partially engulfed in shadows, as mysterious as the night itself. But those crimson eyes burned through the darkness and he was unable to look away, tempted by the flames.

"I better get inside," Yugi said but still didn't move. "Would you like my phone number? To plan out next week?"

"Of course," Atem whispered as he leaned forward. Yugi hurriedly scribbled his number on a spare piece of paper. As he passed off the paper, Atem caught Yugi's hand and pulled him forward so that their faces were now inches apart.

Atem placed Yugi's hand on his shoulder and moved his own down to Yugi's waist. They connected like two long lost puzzle pieces; the realization hit him like a ton of bricks and spread all the way to his toes.

Yugi felt like he was bound by a magical spell. His heart thundered and his limbs had gone numb from the tender touch. His eyes traced every inch of Atem's sharp features. As their body heat mingled, he was drawn back to that crimson stare.

 _I hope that he –_

 _Would he mind if I –_

Atem cupped his hand behind Yugi's ear and gently stroked his cheek with his thumb. Yugi leaned into the caress and softly sighed. Atem's hot breath danced across his skin and sent shock waves down his spine.

 _Is he going to –_

 _I really want to –_

Atem and Yugi both leaned in closer as if in slow motion. Both felt like they were floating in a dream-like state. An unseen magnetic force was drawing them together.

 _Kiss me._

 _Kiss him._

As their lips joined, fireworks erupted behind their closed eyelids. Was it too soon for this? Were they moving too fast? Neither party cared about the answer. All thoughts were lost as their brains were swimming with lust. A mouth opened. A tongue followed. Hands groped and clutched the other madly with whirlwind passion. Breaths deepened. Fingertips were pressed and traced lightly along soft flesh, earning a sigh from the other.

It took every ounce of strength Yugi had to pull his lips away from the kiss. He had to stop now before he continued the night with something he didn't want to regret. He broke away as the two panted together, foreheads touching, crimson and amethyst still concealed behind their eyelids.

"You better call me," he whispered.

"You better count on it," replied the other.

Atem clutched the small piece of paper in his hand as if it were a lifeline. He watched as Yugi made his way through the front door and disappeared into the house with a final wave.

* * *

 **Woah! How about that ending kiss, eh? It's getting a little hot in here, isn't it? ;)**

 **I'm sorry if this chapter bored you at all! It was a lot of back story and character development, but I felt it brought them a little closer together. I placed Yugi's age around 22/23 and Atem around 25, in case anyone is wondering about that timeline.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it! See you all next week :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! Chapter 5 is here!**

 **Thank you SO much to all who reviewed the last chapter! I really appreciate your encouragement and feedback :)**

 **A big shout out goes to my beta, The Water Drinker, for helping me with this chapter! :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its characters!**

* * *

"Of all of the ridiculously _stupid_ things you've done Atem, this is the absolute _worst_!" Seto had called Atem into his large office immediately on Monday morning. He held up a newspaper with glaring front-page headlines 'Kaiba Corp Executive Brawls With Local Game Developer.'

Seto threw the newspaper down harshly on his desk and crossed his arms. "Tell me this is a dream. A nightmare."

Atem opened his mouth to defend himself but was immediately shushed. Seto's ice-blue eyes matched his sub-zero attitude. "No! If the next words out of your mouth aren't, 'I'm sorry but this was just an April Fool's prank that got out of hand,' then I don't want to hear it! There will be absolute _hell_ to pay for your little stunt…at _The Emerald_ , of all places!"

Atem remained tight-lipped, his crimson fire still alight but not as fierce. "I'm sorry," he said finally, thinking back to that fateful, yet rewarding, punch. "But Devlin had it coming."

"I'm sure the dozens of people in this industry who have been pursued and sexually harassed by Devlin would agree with you. But our investors won't see it that way! Our clients won't see it that way! You knocked out Duke Devlin not even twelve hours after he signed a deal with us! How do you think that will look for Kaiba Corp?!" Seto shrieked, his hands flailing wildly in the air.

Once again Atem bit his tongue. He knew he screwed up, but if there was one person in this world who could unhinge him, it was none other than the emerald-eyed pervert.

"We'll have to increase his deal. I'll send him an additional offer so he keeps quiet on this whole thing. And I'm _sure_ ," his eyes froze Atem on the spot. "That it will be very _expensive_." Seto huffed angrily, slamming his hands down on his desk. He was clearly not keen on the idea of offering Devlin any more money than he had to. What could he do to combat that expense?

He pointed a long arm at Atem. "And you! You will formally apologize to Duke Devlin in a press conference. You will beg his forgiveness – "

"What?!" Now Atem was furious.

" _Beg. His. Forgiveness_!" Seto roared at his cousin, who slunk back down like a kicked puppy. "You're just lucky he's not pressing charges on you! For assault! In a room full of witnesses, no less! Furthermore, whatever additional fee Devlin requires to keep quiet will be garnished from _your_ salary."

Atem rolled his eyes. He wasn't afraid of that; Seto paid him quite handsomely. The last thing he needed was more money.

"Lastly, you will think of a way for Kaiba Corp to be redeemed from the damage of your bad publicity. We need the public to understand that we are _not_ the kind of company they will no doubt think we are, thanks to you. Now, get out of my sight before I hang you from the ceiling by your thumbs."

Atem opened his mouth once again, but was silenced as Seto held up a hand to stop him. The crimson-eyed man snorted angrily and stomped out of the large office. He headed down the hall, back to his own.

As he plunked into his chair, his body deflated. How did his cousin expect him to come up with the perfect idea to redeem Kaiba Corp? It had to be something that involved the public in a fun way. An event of some kind. Sighing, he decided to make note of a few ideas on the legal pad set out before him.

 _Free Admission Day at Kaiba Land?_ He wrote down the idea and stared at it. _No, Seto would never agree to that._ He scratched out the idea.

 _A Kaiba Corp sponsored circus? No, Seto hates clowns._ Another scratch-out.

 _A magic show? No, he's not too fond of magicians either, is he?_

 _A bake-sale event? No, too messy._

 _A silent auction? No, too boring._

 _No, no, NO._

He looked at the numerous ink blots and scribbles that covered his note pad – his many scratched-out ideas that weren't good enough. He was starting to doubt whether these tribulations had all been worth it. A certain amethyst-eyed mechanic popped into his mind, making his heart swell.

 _Yugi._

They hadn't talked since their date. Since that kiss.

 _Mmmmm, that kiss. That jaw-dropping, mouth watering, sweet as honey kiss._ He had replayed it in his mind continuously. He still had Yugi's phone number – unused, lying in wait. He had programmed it into his phone the moment he got home that night, and had stared at it all weekend, not able to summon the courage to call the petite mechanic.

 _Is there a rule of time to wait, so that I don't seem too interested? Seeming overly eager is a turn-off right? Who invented these 'rules?' Why does this have to be so damn complicated?_

All of these questions swirled in his insecure brain, only causing frustration and annoyance instead of clarity. He quickly thought up a plan, a reason for the inevitable phone call.

 _I could call him and lie about my Mercedes breaking down again. But then, he would be angry once he found out my Mercedes is fine. So, that idea is out. I could call him and say there's been an emergency and that he needs to come here right away and –_

He shook his head at his own stupidity. _No, there is only one way to do this – the right way. No tricks or lies, just honesty._

Abandoning his scribble-filled note pad, he decided to dial Yugi's number for a quick chat.

* * *

"Wow, Yug. It sounds like you guys had a great time together." Joey smiled, happy for his friend.

"Yeah it was fun," Yugi said excitedly. "We just sat at Burger World and talked for hours. Atem and I have so much in common. We both like video games and pizza and – "

"You both like to make out in his car," Joey sniggered, dodging the empty oil can thrown by his blushing friend.

As soon as Yugi showed up at the garage that Monday morning, Joey had pounced on him and demanded to know how the date went. Yugi eagerly babbled on about Atem and their date for nearly half the morning, sparing no details.

Joey was upset when he learned that Duke Devlin had shown up and ruined what could have been a magical night for them at The Emerald. But, on second thought, at least they hadn't just called it quits and gone their separate ways for the night. It seemed like the two really clicked.

"So what do you think Duke's going to do? You know, about the fight?" Joey asked seriously.

Yugi pondered a moment. "I don't know, but he'll probably use it to his advantage. I'm sure he'll squeeze every nickel possible out of Kaiba Corp. You don't think he'll press charges, do you?" Yugi suddenly looked worried.

Joey scoffed. "Nah, Yug. The guy was out of line and he knew it. In fact, given your relationship history, I'm sure some would call that harassment. I'm just glad Atem stood up for you and all."

Yugi smiled, feeling somewhat relieved. "Yeah, me too. He seems like a great guy. But he didn't call me this weekend. It just sort of makes me wonder, you know?"

"Ah, stop worrying Yug! Don't you know the rules?" Joey winked a golden eye.

"Rules? What rules?" Yugi demanded.

"The unwritten rules of dating," Joey said, matter-of-factly. "You have to wait at least three days before calling someone after you get their number."

Yugi furrowed his brow. "That's not true."

"Yes it is!" The blonde insisted. He glanced slyly back at Yugi. "Or else it's bad luck!"

"Joey, stop trying to be all mystical. Who invented these stupid 'rules' anyway?"

"Nobody knows," Joey said in a comically mysterious tone. Yugi rolled his eyes as his phone suddenly started to vibrate in his pocket. He looked at his phone and realized that he didn't recognize the incoming number.

"Ah," Joey said, continuing with his mystical persona. "I bet that's him. Speak of the devil! Ask him if his ears were ringing!" Leave it to Joey to believe in such superstitions.

"Shut up Joey," said Yugi as went to the blonde's small office at the back of the garage, wedging himself behind the door. His phone continued to vibrate and he stared at the incoming call screen. Was it really Atem? His heart lurched at the thought.

 _Only one way to find out…_

He pressed the 'answer' button and spoke into the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello?" A deep voice answered. "Is this Yugi?"

Relief swam over him at the familiar baritone rippling in his ears. "Yes. Atem?"

"Hello little one. I hope this isn't a bad time – "

"Oh no, not at all. Joey and I were just…" _Talking about you?_ "Doing some work. What's up?"

Atem sighed; even through the phone Yugi could tell something was bothering him. "Not much, I just had a spare moment at work and I figured I would call to see how you're doing. And to apologize for not calling you sooner."

Yugi laughed lightheartedly. "Don't worry about it; I had stuff to do this weekend anyway. So how's work? Did Kaiba find out about…you know, the Duke Devlin incident?"

"Ugh, yes!" Atem growled. "Seto has me dealing with the aftermath of the stupid fiasco. It even made the front page of the newspaper!"

Yugi cringed. "That's rough, I'm sorry. But, you know, thank you for standing up for me. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble."

A deep chuckle was his response. "You are absolutely welcome, Yugi. But don't blame yourself. Duke deserved it and I was happy to oblige with my brash temper. I can be such a hot-head sometimes, just ready to explode."

Yugi giggled and spoke lowly. "Next time, I'll have to remember to cool down your raging inferno."

That metaphor came out sexier than he thought it would, enticing his lust-filled imagination. He saw Atem as a god of fire, a testament to the element itself – his spark, his fervor, a burning hunger that set Yugi's insides ablaze. Desire flowed through Yugi's veins like a cool liquid, dousing the flames but promising the powerful sizzle of steam.

 _Atem could be my fire god any day of the week,_ he thought as he felt himself succumbing to the rising heat.

Atem laughed huskily and Yugi jolted back to the conversation, thankful that he hadn't spoken his tempting thoughts out loud. "Why, thank you. I knew I could count on you, Yugi."

"S-so what is Kaiba having you do to make up for punching Duke?" He hurriedly changed the subject to distract himself from his fantasies.

"I have to apologize in a press conference, he's garnishing my wages, and I have to think of a way to redeem Kaiba Corp in the public's eye, now that we've gotten all of this bad publicity."

"Yikes, so he really read you the riot act, huh?"

"No," Atem said smugly. "I told him I already read it myself."

Yugi burst out laughing, glad that Atem could at least joke about his situation. "So do you have any ideas for how to redeem the company?"

"Not a one. You should see my note pad, it's covered in scribbles."

Yugi smiled, imagining the messy note pad. "Well, knowing Kaiba, it has to be something big and grand or else he'll never sign his name on it."

Big? Grand? A light bulb switched on in Atem's mind, as if Yugi had spoken the magic words. "Wait, that's it! I've got it!"

Just then, Joey stuck his head through the door of the cramped office.

"Hey Yug?"

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Atem hang on a sec." He held the phone slightly away from his ear so that he could hear what the blonde wanted.

"Is that who I think it is?" Joey asked. Yugi nodded.

The blonde smiled as if he'd won the lottery. "Can he give a message to Kaiba?" He passed a small handwritten note for Yugi to read to Atem. He winked then disappeared from the office, leaving Yugi baffled.

"Uh, Atem? Can you do Joey a small favor?" Yugi asked. He read the note and giggled, having some idea what it meant.

"Of course, right after I tell Seto about my big idea."

* * *

"A Charity Ball?" Seto asked, skeptically. "That's your big idea?"

"Yes, we hold a fancy dinner event and invite people to attend, including our shareholders." Atem revealed his idea proudly. "Profits will be divided among local charities. The event will largely be sponsored by us but the attendees will be able to donate as well."

Seto considered the idea. "A Charity Ball," he repeated. "It makes a bold statement, I'll give you that. And it benefits the community, which is ultimately what we're looking for."

"So what do you think?" Atem froze, nervously waiting for his cousin's response.

"I like it. Good work, Atem. You'll be in charge of organizing this event. Start scouting locations, dates, and get a guest list together. I expect regular updates." Seto turned his attention back to his desk, but looked up when he noticed Atem hadn't left his office. "Did you have anything to add or are you trying to kill me with your smug little stare?"

"No, that's all." Atem turned to walk out of the office but paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder.

"Oh and _Ice King_?"

Seto stiffened at the familiar nickname that only a certain someone knew about.

" _Puppy_ says you need an oil change." Atem smirked as a dull blush spread across his cousin's cheeks. It felt good to be able to tease Seto again.

Plopping into his desk chair, he began to get started with planning the event details. He thought back to his earlier question. Was it worth the hassle to cause this gigantic mess over Duke Devlin? The petite mechanic's bright smile hovered in his mind, until Atem cracked a smile of his own.

 _Totally worth it._


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this chapter took a while! I was on vacation but updates will resume their regular Sunday schedule! Enjoy!**

 **Warning: The language at the end of the chapter gets pretty colorful.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!**

* * *

It had been a few days since their first phone conversation and Yugi and Atem had been calling and texting each other nearly nonstop. Yugi clutched his phone until it vibrated and giggled at whatever text Atem had sent him. He quickly typed a response and sat eagerly, with a goofy grin on his face and googly eyes.

Joey had watched this go on for the past three days as well as the majority of the morning. "Texting is such a coward's way out, Yug. Why don't you call him?"

"I can't Joe, I think he's in some big meeting or something." Yugi's phone vibrated again, and this time he laughed out loud.

"Hey, what's so funny over there?!" Joey demanded, feeling like a third wheel. Whatever Atem had sent had Yugi practically rolling on the floor.

"H-he said t-that this Jenkins guy has h-his toupee on b-backwards! And that it looks like something he pulled out of a clogged shower drain!" Yugi was practically howling with laughter.

Joey cracked a smile. "Sounds pretty funny. Wish I could see that. Hey, tell him to send us a picture!"

Yugi typed out the message and the two friends hovered over the phone, waiting for the response. A picture suddenly appeared on the screen of the back of a man's head. The hairpiece on his head looked oddly crumpled and left a huge bald patch exposed.

Yugi and Joey burst out laughing. How could the man not notice his predicament? A caption came along with the picture that made them laugh even harder – _"Did he get dressed in the dark?!"_

* * *

Atem held his phone in his hand and giggled lightly while his cousin droned on and on about the new accounting procedures. He decided that the picture he had sent Yugi was just a little blurry; he wanted to get another one with better detail.

He kept his phone in his hand and extended his arm to look like he was casually stretching. He hoped nobody would notice that he was actually taking a picture of the board member sitting beside him.

 _Easy does it…I'm just having a little stretch…Almost…There…That's it…_

"ATEM!" Kaiba's voice rang out through the conference room.

"Huh?" His arm instantly retracted to a less incriminating position. "What?"

"What in the name of Duel Monsters are you doing?" His cousin's eyes narrowed.

"I'm just…stretching. Sorry for the disturbance," Atem said coolly.

Seto rolled his eyes. His cousin's antics were getting more frequent as of late. "That will be all for today, gentlemen. Please read this memo and return it to me with your signature, to show you're in agreement with our new practices. Thank you."

As the board members shuffled out of the room, Seto did not take his eyes off of Atem. He knew something was going on. He could smell it.

"What did you do?" Seto asked when they were alone in the conference room.

"Me? Nothing." Atem said innocently.

Seto scoffed and crossed his arms. "Does this have to do with that little mechanic of yours?"

"You leave him out of this! It's not his fault Jenkins can't put on his fake hair correctly." Atem snorted.

"Aww, how very touching. You can't stop talking to your little lover _in the middle of our meeting!_ "

"Oh come on, his hair was worse than usual today. You must have noticed."

"Be that as it may, you're on thin ice as it is with this whole Duke Devlin incident. You can't go goofing off just because Jenkins got dressed in the dark."

"Ha! That's what I said!" Atem slapped his knee and laughed.

Seto knew what this was about. Atem had never been involved with someone he genuinely liked and now he was acting love-drunk over that little shrimp. Maybe it would get out of his system if they saw each other more often?

"Why don't you take him out to lunch? And get this giggly loverboy crap out of your system and, more importantly, out of my conference room!"

Atem's eyes widened. Take Yugi out to lunch? Why didn't he think of that! And he knew just the right place to take his little mechanic.

Atem jumped up and hugged his cousin tightly. "That's a great idea!" He grabbed his work bag and dashed from the conference room, puttering rapidly on his phone.

Seto was left alone in the room, shaking his head. He smiled slightly at Atem's actions for the past several days. He had never seen Atem like this before. Frankly, it was refreshing to see him acting like a giddy little child over every text message, phone call, and the like.

Seto glanced at his watch. Maybe he could take a lunch break of his own. He needed his oil changed, after all.

* * *

"Hey Yug, did you fix the muffler on Mai's Pontiac? She's picking it up tomorrow."

"Yeah, it's all set Joey. She's picking it up in the morning?"

"Yup, 9 o'clock. As always." The blonde stretched his arms behind his back and glanced at his watch. "Hey, what do you wanna do for lunch? I'm starving over here! I'm thinking pizza."

"You're always hungry, Joe." Yugi smiled back at his friend. "I was just going to grab something quick for lunch today."

The two suddenly heard a car pull into the parking lot. They made their way to the front of the garage and peered outside to see a forest green Mercedes come to a stop. Its well-dressed owner got out and made his way to the door.

"Ah nevermind, Yug. You might have your own lunch plans." Joey glanced back at Yugi and winked.

"Atem? What are you doing here?" Yugi asked excitedly, running out in the parking lot to meet him. Excitement flowed through him and he couldn't stop himself from greeting the tanned man by jumping into his outstretched arms.

"Glad to see you've missed me Yugi," Atem joked, happily returning the embrace. "Do you want to go to lunch with me? I know a great place you'll love."

Atem watched as Yugi's eyes lit up and a smile split his face. "Are you sure you want to take me somewhere? I'm not exactly presentable." Yugi looked down at his messy, grease-stained clothes. "I feel like such a slob."

"Nonsense. No one will care where I'm taking you. You'll fit right in." Atem grinned as Yugi nodded his consent.

"I'll be back in an hour Joey!" Yugi called to the blonde across the parking lot.

"See you two crazy kids later!" Joey said, smiling and waving at the two. They clambered into the forest green Mercedes and Atem beeped goodbye to the blonde mechanic.

 _Ah, well. Might as well clean up a bit before lunch._ Joey looked around at the messy garage. Although hunger was gnawing at his stomach, he couldn't just leave the shop looking like this. He cranked up the radio and blasted his favorite 80's tunes before he got to work.

* * *

"So where are we going?" Yugi smiled brightly in the passenger seat.

"Ah, we'll be there soon. It's a surprise." Atem smirked, remembering what happened the last time he had surprised Yugi with a date somewhere.

"So, it's going to be ruined by you punching someone in the face?" Yugi joked.

Atem chuckled. "Hopefully not, but if I'm lucky then perhaps it'll end how it did in the car when I dropped you off home." His voice dipped to a low whisper as he winked a crimson eye.

Yugi raised an eyebrow and tried to keep a cool exterior, but underneath his blood was boiling. His insides tingled with a mixture of giddiness and nerves. This man had sexiness down to an art. He wouldn't mind having another chance at kissing those lips, running his fingers through those silky tresses, moving his fingers underneath that expensive button-up shirt –

"We're here!" Atem announced, shaking Yugi from his brief little daydream.

Yugi looked up at the building they were parked in front of. A sign with futuristic-looking writing read 'The Cyberstation.'

Yugi's heart immediately swelled in his chest and his eyes grew wide. This arcade had just opened up recently and he had been dying to try it out! Supposedly, they had a mixture of all the latest games as well as the retro ones he loved so much.

He looked back at Atem, who had a knowing smile written on his face. "Well, we both love games, so I figured we'd have fun – "

Yugi instantly pressed his lips to Atem's, and wrapped his arms tightly around the other's neck. Atem slid his hands around Yugi's hips, pulling the petite body closer to him. After a moment, Yugi pulled away, a pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Come on, let's go!" Excitement was gleaming in his eyes. It made Atem's heart pound faster. "This will be so much fun! I haven't been to an old-fashioned arcade in years!"

* * *

 _There, much better!_ Joey stood back and admired his pristine garage. All of his tools were cleaned and organized. The empty oil cans were recycled. He even swept the floor of its usual debris.

The radio continued to blare with screaming guitars and high-pitched 80's vocals. This particular song was the king of them all – 'Livin' On a Prayer' by Bon Jovi. This song filled Joey with its contagious energy and he couldn't resist – he just _had_ to air-guitar to the powerful chorus. His fingers moved up and down with the notes, playing imaginary chords. He danced around the garage, eyes closed, as the music took over his body.

A familiar smell wafted into his nostrils, breaking him from the spell of the song. He sniffed the air. Something smelled absolutely delicious. Gooey cheese, spicy pepperoni, crispy crust…he knew that smell!

 _PIZZA!_

Joey's eyes widened as he spun around. He was suddenly face to face with crystal blue eyes – as beautiful as the ocean and just as fearsome.

"Thought you could use a bite to eat, Pup." Seto Kaiba held out the pizza box in front of him, as if dangling a treat in front of a dog.

"Seto! I thought you were busy with meetings and junk." Joey jumped onto the business man and clung to him excitedly.

"I'm never too busy for an oil change." Seto winked at Joey, who met him with a smirk.

"Awww, is that icy heart of yours starting to melt?" Joey teased, poking the other in the chest.

"Good point. Maybe I should just enjoy this tasty deliciousness by myself." Seto caught sight of Joey's face and laughed lightly. "Only joking, blondie, relax." He set the precious pizza down on a nearby table as Joey pulled up two folding chairs.

"What happened in here, anyway? Did a cleaning fairy wave her magic wand?"

* * *

"You're going down, sucker!"

"Not a chance, shorty."

"Petty insults won't win you the game, pretty boy."

"Oh really? You know why they call me the King of Games? Because I'm royalty, bitch."

"Dethrone the king! Viva la revolution! Long live Prince Yugi!"

Atem and Yugi were engulfed in the arcade game. Their hands moved vigorously against the old-school joystick to control their fighters on the big screen. Their fingers pushed buttons, creating combo attacks and special moves. This happened to be one of Yugi's favorite games – Mortal Kombat. Both men lived by the idea that trash talk was half the fun of playing a game.

"I can't believe you picked Raiden. He sucks dick. Literally." Yugi's eyes never left the screen as he insulted Atem's character pick.

"He is a fucking thunder god, you ignorant mortal!" Atem pushed another button and Raiden jumped, dodging Yugi's bicycle kick attack. He had picked Liu Kang as his fighter.

"Yeah but he fights like a crippled monkey. Besides, he looks like he escaped from a mental ward with that white robe he's wearing."

On the screen, Liu Kang was throwing flames at the thunder god. Raiden was losing health and was nearing the point of losing the match.

 _Just one more attack,_ Yugi thought, not looking away from the battle. _Then I can show him the best move of all…_

After one last uppercut, a deep voice yelled "FINISH HIM!" Raiden's head was lolling on his shoulders, waiting for the last attack.

 _Now's my chance!_ Yugi pressed the buttons in a careful manner and moved the joystick up and down accordingly. The screen suddenly darkened. Liu Kang turned into a dragon and mercilessly bit off Raiden's head in a gory display of triumph. Blood dripped from the word 'Fatality' on the screen.

Atem tipped his head back and laughed. "Nice win, little one. But honestly I'm more of a Street Fighter fan."

"Blasphemy!" Yugi gasped. "But that was fun. I tried to warn you about my skills but you wouldn't listen."

Atem chuckled deeply and bowed to the ground. "I shall never again doubt your skills. You are the superior Mortal Kombat player. I beg your forgiveness, Great One."

"Hmmmm. I _guess_ I can forgive you, since you _did_ take me to this wicked cool arcade. You may rise, good sir."

Atem rose. "Are you hungry? They have a café over there."

"Sure, let's go!" Yugi pulled Atem by the hand in the direction of the snack bar.

After getting a heaping plate of nachos to share and two sodas, Atem and Yugi sat down at a table to eat.

"When do you have to get back?" Yugi asked, pulling a cheese-covered nacho from the plate.

"I should ask you the same thing," Atem replied, sipping his soda. "But don't worry, we have time enough for a Mortal Kombat rematch!"

Yugi smiled excitedly. "You're on!"

Just then, three teenagers walked into the café wearing baggy pants and wallet chains. One glanced at Atem and Yugi and nudged the other two with his elbow. All three sniggered behind their hands.

 _What the fuck are they laughing at?_ Yugi thought as he grabbed another nacho. The three punks ordered three sodas at the snack bar before taking a seat on the other side of the café. Yugi watched them as they sat down and to his chagrin they started speaking loudly.

"Wow, look at that kid," said a short boy with spiky blue hair. "He's here with his dad."

"Hey kid, did your daddy take you out on a date?" The three bullies howled with laughter as if they were a pack of hyenas.

"Yeah, what's that guy doing at an arcade in a fucking suit anyway? And a Rolex watch? Get real."

Yugi looked at the three punks with confusion until their comments started to sink into his brain. _They're talking about us!_

They must have looked out of place – Atem with his professional wardrobe and Yugi with his grease-stained jeans and dirty hands. Yugi was also well aware that he looked considerably younger than his actual age. They certainly must have looked like they shouldn't be eating together at the same table.

Atem played with the straw in his drink, pretending not to listen to those bullies. Although he really wanted to get up and tear those losers limb from limb, he couldn't afford to have another Duke Devlin incident on his hands. It proved to be a frustrating dilemma.

"What'd you say, you ass hat?" Yugi rose from the table. He may have looked weak, but years of tirelessly working on cars had given him a strong endurance and hidden strength. Yugi wasn't afraid of these punks and he wasn't going to let Atem take their shit.

"Yugi, don't. They're not worth it." Atem muttered, still glaring at his soda straw.

"Aw look," said a boy with black hair that was styled to hang in front of his eyes. "The baby needs his afternoon nap. Listen to your daddy, kid. You don't want to mess with us."

"Listen here, you cunt nozzle, if you don't stop the shit-talk that keeps pouring out of your mouth, I'm going to have to do something about it." Yugi balled his fists in anger.

The three bullies rose from the table, balling their fists as well. "And what do you plan to do, kid? Take on all three of us?"

Yugi maintained his glare and his hardened stance. He knew they were right; he couldn't take on all three of them.

 _But maybe I can still beat them…_

"I challenge you to a duel, in the game of your choice." Yugi's voice rang out confidently in the café. The arcade was his arena and he had been mastering most of these games since he could pick up a joystick.

"A duel?" The blue-haired kid laughed haughtily. "Yeah right. Rosco here can beat anybody in anything." He gestured to a tall boy with shaggy brown hair.

"It's alright Mikey," said Rosco with a shrug of his shoulders. "If the kid wants to duel, he'll get a duel."

"Yugi's going to mop the floor with you, you ignorant butt nugget!" Atem yelled, pointing his finger at the boy. "He's the King of Games."

Rosco looked amused. "Is that so, old man? Did you hear that boys? We're in the presence of _royalty_." He bowed mockingly as the other two goons laughed and mimicked their leader.

Yugi furrowed his eyebrows at the trio. "I don't have time for your jokes. Name the game and we'll get started."

"I saw you two playing Mortal Kombat earlier, and sucking at it by the way. If and when I defeat you, you have to admit that you're a loser and a wimp who goes on dates with his dad."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Fine. And if I win, you three have to apologize and get the hell out of here so we can continue with our lunch."

"Fine. Let's go then, shall we?"

The five boys moved through the arcade towards the Mortal Kombat game. Some of the other gamers overheard the trash talking and decided to follow to see who would triumph. As they all gathered around the game, bets were made and opinions were formed on who would win.

"I'll bet you five bucks that Yugi kid takes it!"

"No way, man! I've seen Rosco play before; he's unbeatable!"

"Come on, Yugi. You've got this!" Atem cheered. "No mercy. Kick his ass!"

Yugi was unaware of the crowd gathered behind him. He needed to stay focused. All that mattered in that moment was the battle. He and Rosco inserted their quarters into the coin slot and selected their fighters. This was a crucial choice, but who would he pick?

Rosco selected Scorpion. A few of the onlookers cheered.

 _There's only one fighter I trust this match to…_ Yugi nudged his joystick and selected Kitana, earning a laugh from Rosco and a few other members of the crowd.

"Wow, this kid looks like a girl _and_ fights like a girl! Imagine that!"

Yugi glared up at his adversary. "Fuck you."

"Later, if you want," Rosco winked. "Don't worry, this will be over soon."

"Yeah whatever." Yugi wouldn't let the harsh words distract him from the battle. He flexed his fingers and gripped his joystick tightly, readying his fingers over the buttons.

The two fighters appeared on the screen and a voice said "Round One – FIGHT!"

"Get over here!" Rosco's Scorpion yelled, sending a deadly retractable chain towards Kitana. Yugi held the joystick down and Kitana ducked.

"Typical first move," said Yugi. He saw that coming from a mile away. Why else would anyone pick Scorpion?

Rosco growled and pushed another button. Scorpion launched an uppercut, sending Kitana flying across the screen with blood spattering the ground.

Not letting the attack rattle him, Yugi pushed a button and unlocked a special attack. Kitana threw a bladed steel fan at Scorpion, who bled profusely and fell backwards. Yugi pushed another button and Kitana jumped into the air, kicking Scorpion.

Rosco unlocked Scorpion's fire move, launching the flames at his opponent. Yugi quickly held down the joystick and Kitana dodged the attack. Scorpion moved closer. Kitana delivered an uppercut, sending Scorpion across the screen and draining his remaining health. He fell down and fainted.

"Kitana wins!" Said the game, earning cheers from Yugi's supporters, especially Atem.

"That's it, Yugi! If you can beat him in the next round, you'll win!"

"Don't count on it," Rosco said over his shoulder. "I'm just getting warmed up!"

Yugi remained silent, continuing his focus on the game. "Round Two – FIGHT!" The game announced.

Rosco pushed a wave of buttons as Scorpion jumped into the air and landed several kicks and punches on Kitana. Blood spewed out of the fighter and her health drained quickly. Before Yugi could get Kitana out of the hot zone, Scorpion continued his attacks until she fainted.

"Scorpion wins! Flawless victory!" Rosco smirked and glanced at Yugi, who glared back. Rosco's group cheered the win.

"We've got a button-masher over here!" Atem yelled over the crowd. "It's okay, Yugi. This last round will be the decider!"

"Whatever old man," Rosco's black-haired goon said snidely.

"It's alright, Trey. I never lose." Rosco turned back to focus on the game screen. Yugi readied himself for the third and final round that would decide the outcome of the match.

"Round Three – FIGHT!"

Yugi instantly reacted, pushing his joystick up and sending Kitana into a jump. He pushed a button and she kicked Scorpion down.

The crowd seemed enchanted by the match, watching the two fighters on the game screen. This sort of battle didn't happen every day and was a welcome spectacle. Atem watched and held his breath, practically biting his fingernails.

"Get over here!" Scorpion yelled again, sending another chain towards Kitana. Yugi tried to dodge the attack but the chain sank into Kitana's flesh, retracting towards Scorpion. "Come here!" He yelled. Rosco pressed the joystick and Scorpion launched an uppercut, draining most of Kitana's remaining health.

Yugi wouldn't let the attack rattle him. He pressed the buttons and unlocked another one of Kitana's special moves. She bent down on her knee and spun her steel fan, levitating Scorpion into the air and rendering him powerless. She jumped into the air and kicked him down, sending him to the ground. She launched an uppercut, draining the last of Scorpion's health.

Scorpion's head was lolling on his shoulders as a voice yelled "FINISH HIM!" Rosco growled again in anger. Boos and cheers erupted from the crowd. Yugi pressed several buttons and the game screen darkened. Kitana slashed Scorpion's head with her steel fan, decapitating her opponent. Blood dripped down from the word 'Fatality.' The match was over – Yugi had won.

Atem cheered excitedly and picked Yugi up in his arms. "You did it! You won!" The onlookers clapped and many yelled their congratulations to the winner. Some nudged their friends, asking them to pay up as part of a bet.

Rosco and his goons stood back in awe.

"How could that little twerp beat you?" Trey screeched. "He must have cheated!"

"Yeah, that's right! He rigged the game." Mikey agreed.

Rosco held up a hand, silencing the other two boys. He held out his palm and shook Yugi's hand. "Good game, Yugi. Awesome fatality."

"Thanks." Yugi was still wary of the hurtful comments the bullies had made.

"Sorry about what we said before. We were jerks." Rosco bowed his head and commanded his friends to do the same.

Yugi smiled. "That's alright. Trash talk is half the fun, right?"

* * *

After playing a few more games with the now friendly trio, Atem and Yugi said goodbye. They both had to get back to work. Their lunch date was over.

They piled into the forest green Mercedes and drove silently for a few minutes. "That was really cool, Yugi." Atem said, breaking the silence. "Makes me want to go back and bust all of my old games out of retirement."

Yugi laughed. "What old games do you have?"

"Tons," Atem said, pulling into the parking lot of the garage. "You should come over to my apartment. I can show you all of my favorites."

"Sure, we should definitely do that sometime!" Yugi said as the car came to a stop in front of the garage entrance.

"How about tomorrow? Come on, it's a Friday night. We can order pizza, drink beer, and play games."

"That sounds amazing, Atem. I'd love to!" Yugi leaned over and kissed the business man on the cheek. Atem got out of the car and opened the passenger door so Yugi could get out.

"What a gentleman," Yugi giggled. "Are you going to walk me to the door, too?"

"Only because you asked so nicely," Atem purred in Yugi's ear.

Yugi opened the door to the garage and was greeted with a startling sight – Joey and Seto Kaiba were making out on the floor! Joey was shirtless with his pants unbuttoned. Both men looked up, completely caught in the act.

Atem's jaw hung open in shock. "What?! What's going on here?"

"My best friend and your cousin are rounding second base," Yugi answered.

"You don't seem surprised. Did you know about this?" Atem asked in disbelief.

Yugi shrugged. "I had a feeling. I mean, you can only get your oil changed so many times a week before it starts to look suspicious. Right Joey?"

Joey pulled his shirt back on. "Sure thing, Yug." He buttoned up his pants and pulled himself off the floor.

"Figures I'd be busted by my cousin," Seto grumbled. "You aren't going to be a blabber-mouth are you, Atem?"

Atem's crimson eyes were still widened in shock. "No. Of course not…"

"Good," said Joey. "The press would have a field day."

Atem shook his head, still feeling blown away by this new information. He needed to get back to the office. Paperwork always cleared his head. Simple, reliable paperwork.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yugi. I'll text you later, okay?" He pressed a light kiss onto Yugi's forehead.

Yugi blushed. "Of course."

 _I'll be waiting…_

* * *

 **Reviews are appreciated! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! Next chapter is in, baby! Wooooot!**

 **I apologize for the wait between chapters. I had something else I was working on, but now it's full steam ahead for this story!**

 **Thank you all who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do NOT own!**

* * *

"Good morning, Yug!" Joey smiled brightly as Yugi walked into the shop the next morning.

"Morning, Joe!" Yugi beamed back. "Happy Friday!"

Joey raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Well, you're certainly in a good mood today. Gonna see your loverboy again?"

Yugi's smile widened, revealing pearly white teeth. "Tonight. I'm going over to his place."

"That's awesome, Yug! What are you – "

"Did I hear correctly that our little Yugi has a date tonight?" A beautiful woman with pouty pink lips walked into the shop, a waterfall of honey curls tumbling down her back. Her heels clicked on the cement floor. "Sorry if I'm a little early. A friend of mine dropped me off before she went to work."

"Hey Mai! I didn't hear you come in." Joey took the blonde woman into a brief hug before he handed her the car keys. "Your Pontiac should be all set, I even test drove it myself."

"Excellent hun." Mai took out her purse and handed Joey two crisp hundred dollar bills. "Keep the extra for yourselves. You boys always do a great job. Only mechanics I trust." She winked.

"Thanks Mai. We appreciate your business," said Yugi. "So, how's life as a show-girl? Is the casino treating you well?"

"Ugh, the clients are all jerks, my boss is an idiot…but I love it! I was meant to perform on that stage. And the pay is amazing."

"Good, I'm happy for you. You're living your dream!" Yugi smiled at the dancer.

"Thanks hun, I really do love it and I consider myself lucky. How many people in this world can say that about their jobs?" She laughed lightly. "So, what's this I hear about you having a date tonight?"

Yugi blushed and fell silent. Joey answered the question. "He's gone out with this guy a few times now."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Yugi nodded. "Yeah, he seems like a really great guy."

"What's his name? Anyone I'd know?"

"Atem." Yugi's blush deepened.

"Atem _Sennen_?" Mai questioned, taken aback.

Yugi nodded again. "Yeah. He works for Kaiba Corp. I'm going over to his house tonight and he's going to show me all of his old games."

Mai looked like she had been slapped in the face. Her light peach skin had paled and her lips thinned. She took on a disbelieving tone. "Is that what they call it these days?"

Yugi was confused. "Huh?"

"I hate to break it to you, kid, but all he wants from you is sex. I know all about Atem Sennen. He's hooked up with a few of the dancers I work with. Broke every single one of their hearts, too."

"But…" Yugi trailed off. He was about to come to Atem's defense, but couldn't think of anything to say. His head was spinning. He couldn't think clearly. Would Atem really do that to him?

"But nothing," Mai interrupted. "He's had one-night stands all over this town. Stay away from Atem. He's bad news."

"But he took me to the arcade yesterday and we had so much fun together," Yugi choked out the words, feeling his own insecurities getting the better of him.

"He's _playing_ you, hun." Mai softened her voice, hoping it would soften the blow she had just dealt to Yugi's ego. "That's what he does. You aren't his first victim. I'm sure he's gotten his seduction techniques down to a science by now, not that he really needs to try that hard. He's gorgeous but he's a man whore. I don't want to see you end up as another notch in his belt."

Yugi was crushed. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach and had the wind knocked out of him. How could he think that someone as attractive and sexy as Atem would truly be interested in him? Taking him out must have just been a ploy to loosen his inhibitions. And tonight at his house…

 _Oh god…tonight…_

Mai could see the truly hurt look on Yugi's face. He must have really liked Atem, too. But she couldn't bear to see another friend heartbroken over Atem Sennen.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. But it's for the best. You wouldn't be able to stand his lifestyle anyway. He comes from a world of impressing people and he knows how to manipulate them to get what he wants, whether it's for Kaiba Corp or for his own personal games."

"But…I thought he really liked me…" Yugi mumbled. His heart felt heavy. His gut twisted sickly from a mixture of nerves and depression.

"It was an act. And it probably felt genuine. But that's his angle; it's an act you can't see through. That's how he wins."

Mai took the small mechanic into a gentle hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. Yugi stood stiffly, with her arms wrapped around him. He barely felt the touch or heard her words. "At least now you know."

Mai pulled away after a moment. "I'm sorry boys, but I've got to run. You both take care of yourselves." She blew the mechanics a kiss and waved goodbye. The two friends heard the sound of an engine starting, but getting softer as the car made its way out of the parking lot.

Joey remained silent for a minute, watching his friend try to hold in his tears. "You gonna be okay, bud?"

"Yeah, sure, Joe." Yugi sighed sadly and discreetly brushed a small tear from his eye. "Come on, let's get back to work."

* * *

"How are the plans for the Charity Ball coming along?" Seto Kaiba stood in front of Atem's desk with his arms crossed, waiting for the progress report.

"Very well. I've booked the event for the Renaissance Resort and Casino in their grand ballroom. They will be doing all of the catering as well, and I have a menu for you to approve. Colors are blue, white and silver as you requested." Atem handed a folder of notes for the event to Seto.

"Excellent," said Seto, his cerulean eyes scanning the notes quickly.

"Invitations have already been sent out to all of the guests listed on page two of my report," Atem added.

"Wonderful. You've done well, Atem." Seto nodded his approval of the event's progress.

The Kaiba Corp Charity Ball would take place in six weeks. There was a lot of media buzz surrounding the event, even though it was in the early stages of planning. Many of Kaiba Corp's investors and stockholders were looking forward to the event, which was the first of its kind for the company. Atem had been working on the plans nonstop, which was exhausting work. He had never planned any sort of party before, let alone an event this large. Every little detail had to be precise and thought out to his cousin's endorsement, which was a job in itself.

Atem leaned back in his desk chair, watching his cousin read over his notes. Sometimes he hated being stuck in an office all day. He wondered how his cousin could do it with such ease. Yugi had been his only source of recreation and he found himself reveling in the time they spent talking on the phone and texting one another. He was looking forward to seeing the petite mechanic tonight. He already had taken the liberty of exhuming all of his old games, which had been buried beneath mounds of stuff in his closet.

Atem closed his eyes, letting his hopes for tonight surround him.

 _I have my Donkey Kong cartridge ready. I know that's his favorite. And my old Mario, Yoshi's Island, Super Ghouls N' Ghosts…I wonder what game he'll want to play first. And if I've interpreted his signals correctly, this night could get even more interesting…maybe even physical…_

"Atem! Didn't you hear what I said?"

Atem's eyes shot open. "Huh? What? Yeah."

"I _asked_ if you were planning on bringing your little loverboy to the Charity Ball." Kaiba's smirk peaked over the edge of the notes he was reading.

"But…" Atem gasped, realizing what his cousin was insinuating. "That's not for another month and a half! We've only gone out a few times, really…"

"True," Seto agreed. "But I've never seen you act like this before. Like some kind of love-struck schoolboy. I only assumed you would want to take things to the next level with him."

 _Next…level?_

Atem's head spun. A wave of heat crept up his neck and flushed his cheeks. He didn't know the first thing about relationships, since he never actually had a genuine one himself. He had been enjoying the simplicity of their time together – playing games, having fun, talking long into the night… He truly hadn't thought about what would happen next, or if their casual relationship would progress into something _less_ casual. And what if things didn't work out between them? He would look like a complete idiot at the Charity Ball. It felt like a lot of pressure.

"Hey, space cadet." Seto rolled his eyes. "Are you still with me or are you on planet Mars?"

"Oh…umm…yeah…" Atem's voice was muffled beneath his own insecurity. "I honestly hadn't thought about it."

"Well, ask him if you want him to go. We're going to need a final head count on the number of guests so the caterer can prepare accordingly. Let me know either way."

As Seto Kaiba left the office, Atem was left feeling like he had been plunged in an ice-cold pool of water. Walls built out of rules and expectations had sprung up around him and he didn't like feeling trapped. Could he even handle being in a relationship with Yugi? What would that even _mean_?

Atem shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't let his own self-doubt cloud his happiness. He and Yugi were going to get together tonight and they were going to have a great time…

 _Right?_

* * *

 _"2683 Eagle Crest Lane, sixth floor. 8pm. Can't wait to see you!"_

That was the text Yugi had been staring at for the past twenty minutes. It was Atem's address. His fingers curled around his cell phone tightly as he continued to debate with himself. Should he follow through with their game-night plans or should he make up some excuse?

It was now 7 o'clock. Yugi had gotten home from the shop an hour before and had just collapsed on his bed to contemplate his predicament. He knew he had to make up his mind. Fast. Either he needed to take a shower and make himself look presentable for tonight or he needed to turn his phone off and bury himself in his blankets for the weekend.

His phone vibrated in his hand and another message popped up on the screen.

 _"I just picked up a six-pack of Corona. Does that suffice for us tonight?"_

Yugi's heart flip-flopped. Atem clearly wanted him to reply. But, should he? Yugi sighed, ignoring the message and tossing his phone beside him on the bed. Yugi let his heavy eyelids close; he felt sluggish and drained, like he had just finished a ten-mile run.

Things had seemed so much brighter this morning. Now, he was unsure about everything that had happened between him and Atem. Their discussions, their similarities…it had all seemed so genuine. But the doubt had crept up on him and taken hold like a disease.

Yugi reflected on their first kiss – how it made him feel so enraptured by passion and lust. Atem had clearly enjoyed it too, but he hadn't pushed him any further that night. Or any other night, for that matter. While he always kept his attraction to Yugi obvious, Atem had never mentioned the topic of sex. If what Mai said about his past was true, wouldn't he have said something by now? Or at the very least, wouldn't he try to make a move and sleep with Yugi?

Slowly, Yugi calmed his mind and coaxed his insecurities back into submission. Atem had done nothing of the sort! He hadn't made Yugi feel uncomfortable in any way, so why was Yugi so willing to doubt him? And honestly, how reliable of a source could Mai possibly be? Most of what she was telling him could be summed up as useless gossip.

Another vibration from his phone revealed another text message from Atem.

"?"

 _Shoot! I've been distracted for so long, I forgot to answer Atem's text!_ Yugi frantically grabbed his phone and typed out a response:

"Sorry, I was getting ready for tonight. See you soon!"

He immediately jumped off his bed and darted to the bathroom to turn the hot water on. He needed to hurry if he wanted to make it to Atem's apartment on time!

One shower and several changes of clothes later, Yugi had on the perfect outfit – a charcoal grey sleeveless band t-shirt and dark, tight jeans. A studded collar and two wrist cuffs completed the look – sexy, but subtle.

He looked in the mirror and took a deep breath, to prevent his impending uncertainty of the night ahead. Yugi looked his reflection in the eye, determined to solidify his confidence.

 _I am going over to Atem's and we are going to have a great time playing games, right? Right._

He grabbed his phone and keys, climbed into his rust-bucket car, and headed in the direction of Atem's apartment.

* * *

Yugi pulled up a circular driveway, and gaped at a newly-constructed building that matched Atem's address; the tall structure seemed to touch the clouds. Modern brick walls framed beautiful large windows. A paved walkway dotted with built-in lights led up to the crystal-clear glass door. It looked more like a fancy hotel than an apartment building.

Yugi parked his car and got out, a fresh summer breeze dancing through his hair. He stood in front of the building and glanced back at Atem's text.

 _Sixth floor._

He put his phone away and made his way up to the entrance. A hi-tech buzzer security system with ten numbers was on the outside wall, next to the door. Yugi pushed the number six. After a moment a smooth, deep voice rang out from the speaker.

"Yugi, you made it!"

The mechanic was puzzled. How did Atem know it was him? A rich chuckle erupted from the speaker.

"Hidden camera. I can see your face, you know. I'll buzz you through, come on in!"

Yugi pushed through the glass door. His footsteps rang out through the lobby as he went to the cherry wood elevator. Inside, again, there were only ten numbers. He pushed the number six. When the elevator doors opened a few seconds later, he was greeted by a lone door in the hallway.

Yugi wrapped his knuckles against the door. He didn't have to wait long before it opened, revealing a very casually dressed Atem. He even looked delicious in plain jeans and a t-shirt, not that Yugi was surprised.

"So, you found the place okay I take it?" His lips curled into a slight smirk as he backed away, allowing Yugi space to enter the apartment.

"Yeah it was fine but – woah…" Yugi stood in the doorway, mouth hanging open in shock at the sheer size of the apartment – it was bigger than the game shop and his meager living space put together! The ceilings were expansive and made the place seem even roomier.

 _Sixth floor as in…the whole sixth floor?_

"You have the entire floor to yourself?" Yugi whispered.

Atem's smirk grew. "Yes. And that means no one will bother us. Please, make yourself at home."

Yugi kicked off his shoes so as not to dirty the plush carpet that stretched throughout the living room. He made his way through the apartment and felt like he could barely breathe without having to worry about ruining something. Had he suddenly wandered into a museum? Paintings hung on pristine white walls. Dainty knick-knacks and what appeared to be several ancient Egyptian artifacts were placed delicately on shelves.

"Here, come sit." Atem gestured to a cream-colored leather sofa.

"Fancy," Yugi said as he sat down gingerly on the sofa that was probably worth more than his life.

"Yeah, but not by my design. Thank my decorator," Atem said nonchalantly, kicking his feet up on the solid oak coffee table.

"You have a…decorator?" Yugi gaped at the other man, incredulous. He knew Atem was rich, but maybe he hadn't been prepared to know just _how_ rich.

"Yes." Atem rolled his eyes. "Seto's idea, of course. Now then, can I grab you a beer?"

"Sure." Yugi fidgeted with his hands as he waited for his drink. Maybe the alcohol would calm his nerves. He felt out of place here, like he inadvertently waltzed into a scene from a Pottery Barn catalog – picture perfect, yet here he was with his messy hair and dirty fingernails. Maybe Mai had been truthful this morning when she warned Yugi of their opposing lifestyles.

"Here you go." Atem handed him the bottle, already uncapped. "So I already took the liberty of hooking up the consol to the TV. I figured you'd want to play Donkey Kong first, since it's your favorite game."

"Yeah that sounds good, I guess." Yugi took a deep swig from his beer. "You can go first."

Atem frowned slightly at Yugi's casual attitude. Why didn't Yugi seem excited? They were both old-school gamers after all. "Is something wrong?"

The question took Yugi by surprise. He gripped his beer bottle tighter and took another sip to soothe his dry throat. "No. I'm just a little tired, sorry. Long day."

"I understand, little one. Tell you what, how about I put a movie on instead? We can just curl up and relax." Crimson eyes softened as they took in Yugi's sunken form; he was quiet this night, maybe he really was tired.

Yugi's body eased and he felt lighter. Too many distractions were running through his mind, he was sure he'd play like shit anyway. "And pizza?" He said with a smile.

"And pizza," Atem confirmed with a chuckle. "Sometimes you just need a dose of pizza and beer."

Hopeful amethyst met laughing scarlet. Yugi's smile cracked wider. "Amen to that!"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, a fresh pizza arrived drowned in multiple toppings. Both men settled back into the couch, dimmed the lights, and popped a simple action flick into the DVD player.

As slice after slice was devoured from the pizza, Atem could sense that something was off with Yugi. He seemed far away, like his mind was focused on something else. He snuggled closer to the young man, in order to bring the other back to the present moment. No luck. Yugi barely responded and his glazed amethyst eyes continued to stare blankly at the TV screen which was currently flashing with car chases and gun fights.

Atem kept glancing at Yugi, out of the corner of his eye. He kept trying to piece together the mechanic's strange behavior.

 _He used to show such a strong reaction to my presence, and now there's nothing. Maybe I should get a little closer so he'll have no choice but to pay attention to me._

Atem leaned closer to the other man and discreetly swung his arm around those petite shoulders. No reaction. He traced his fingers along the smooth bare skin of Yugi's bicep. No reaction. He bent down even closer until his lips were level with Yugi's ear.

"Hey there, little one." Deep whispers caressed the younger man's ear and made the tiny hairs on his neck stand up.

"Hey," Yugi squeaked, surprise evident in his voice. Atem blew lightly on Yugi's neck, and Yugi shivered.

 _Finally! A response!_ Atem's smirk was dangerous and his eyes glinted mysteriously.

"What's up?" Atem continued to drag his fingers along Yugi's skin as he nibbled on the delicate earlobe.

"Nothing," Yugi breathed, enraptured by the soft touches. "Just watching the m-movie." His breath hitched as Atem pressed his palms lower and lower, until they were around his waist, ducking in and out of his jeans.

"I can think of something more fun," Atem chuckled darkly and pushed Yugi over into a laying position. He climbed on top of the other, repeatedly pressing kisses over his neck and collarbone, stopping only to lift Yugi's shirt from his body.

 _That feels so good,_ Yugi thought. His whole body tingled with glee; he hadn't had this much physical affection in a long time and up until this morning, he may have been ready to take things a step further. But Yugi couldn't ignore the roar of nerves twisting his stomach into knots.

"Stop." Atem was advancing further down, fumbling with his jeans button. He needed to slow down; this was happening too fast. He couldn't let Atem take advantage of him. "I said stop!" He roughly pushed the other man off and quickly sat up, realizing he was shaking and glistening with sweat.

"What?" Atem demanded. "What's gotten _into_ you today?"

Yugi closed his eyes and released a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. "I…I just…" His voice shook. Somehow, the words didn't come out.

"You just what? Don't want to be around me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Yugi blurted out. "I just think we should slow down; I don't want to feel like you're using me for sex."

"Using you for _what_?!" Crimson fire blazed in heated disbelief.

"Am I just another notch in your belt?" Yugi's eyes were full of sadness. Mai's words were plaguing his thoughts and invading his mind. He hadn't wanted things to end up this way…

"Woah, where is this coming from?" Atem crossed his arms defensively and glared across the couch at his suddenly timid guest.

"I just…learned some stuff about you earlier today. And now I'm glad I did." Yugi stood up from the couch and bolted to the door to put on his shoes.

Atem couldn't believe what was happening. Yugi was leaving?!

"Where the hell are you going? Come back here!" Atem's head was starting to spin as he felt completely overwhelmed, like he was in way over his head.

"You can't tell me what to do!" Yugi shouted over his shoulder. "I don't want to be just another pretty little knick-knack that you set on a shelf and forget about; I don't exist to decorate your arm!"

The door slammed and Atem stared at it, rage and confusion bubbling up inside him.

 _What the fuck just happened?!_

* * *

 **Reviews are much appreciated! :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm so sorry it's been so long since I updated this story! Life just gets in the way, I suppose. Just know that I have NOT abandoned this story and I will continue to update.**

 **Again, sorry for the long wait!**

* * *

"I don't want to talk about it, Joe." Yugi's voice was nothing but a mumble, his usual chipper disposition was smothered by sadness.

"Aw, come on, Yug." Joey had been trying for nearly an hour to pry the details of Friday night from his friend. His little buddy hadn't texted him all weekend and now Joey wanted something, _anything_ to help him understand why Yugi seemed twice as depressed as he did the other day.

"No, I just want to _forget_ about it." Yugi sounded irritated, throwing down a rag he was using to wipe his greasy hands.

"But Yug, you have to – "

"No! I don't have to do _anything_ , Joey! You can't tell me what to do!" Yugi snapped. His anger surprised the blonde, who gaped at the petite mechanic with wide eyes. Yugi glared at his friend. "Just leave me alone."

He swiftly turned his back and began to silently work on the other side of the shop. It took Joey a moment to comprehend what had just happened but eventually, he also began to work in silence, every so often throwing a confused glance at his angry friend.

Several glances later, Joey gave up his attempts to catch Yugi's eye. Just one day of silence wouldn't hurt the two friends, would it?

* * *

On the first day of silence, Joey had tried to make his friend smile by acting goofier than usual. He tried telling jokes, slipping in engine grease, and juggling oil cans. His attempts were in vain; Yugi didn't so much as release a chuckle.

On the second day of silence, Joey had tried to make small talk about Yugi's typical interests – video games (no response), movies (still nothing) and pizza (not even a peep).

On the third day, Joey began to wonder if Yugi would ever speak again.

On the fourth day, Joey had had enough. He had reached his breaking point with this 'I'm-not-talking' bullshit – why was Yugi ignoring him? He hadn't done anything except for try to help the ungrateful bastard!

"Alright Yug, that's it!" He shouted, throwing his arms up in the air. "I gave you three days to figure out your shit and if you haven't, then that's too damn bad. I can't stand this cold shoulder of yours any longer!"

"Joey," Yugi pleaded, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well tough cookies, Yug!" The blonde snorted and flung his arms wildly. "I want to know what the hell is going on around here! You're going to tell me all about it – "

"Alright," Yugi interrupted, knowing that his friend would never let this go. "I'll tell you."

"Damn right, you will!"

* * *

"I said NO SUGAR, you ignorant fool!" Atem knocked the coffee to the ground. A petite brunette bent over the splattered mess to clean it up, tears streaming down her cheeks as Atem's rage continued.

"You've only gotten my coffee order about _twenty times_ by now. How dare you mess it up! I should have known this would happen, since you're only an intern. Now, get me another one and get it right this time and WHERE THE HELL IS JENKINS!"

Seto Kaiba sighed deeply. He was trying to concentrate on his paperwork, but he kept getting distracted by the commotion from Atem's office down the hall. Obviously, things hadn't gone well for his cousin's date night. Now, Atem was taking out his anger on the entire office, as he had done for the past two days. The copy room was still in shambles from when the printer had jammed and Atem took it upon himself to 'teach the damned thing a lesson.'

Seto put down his pen and closed his eyes. He could feel a migraine developing in his temples. Couldn't his cousin just keep his noise down, for once?

The loud slam of a door and more yelling answered his question: No, no his cousin was going to continue this pathetic tantrum of his.

* * *

"So when he wouldn't stop kissing me, I just felt myself tense up. I had to get out of there, so I left. We haven't spoken since."

Yugi sighed, rubbing his eyes. As he told the story to Joey, he remembered his feelings of anxiety. His chest and throat tightened.

Joey raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"That's it," Yugi affirmed.

"That is, without a doubt, the most bullshit excuse I've ever heard."

Yugi glared at his friend. "Gee thanks, you ass. Why don't you tell me how you _really_ feel?"

"Listen Yug. You like him. He likes you. Why does anything else matter?"

"It matters because I could get hurt. Again. I _always_ get hurt in relationships. I always give too much, too fast. I never get anything in return except for being used and dumped."

Joey rolled his eyes. "You're letting your own insecurities get in the way of what could be the best relationship of your life. But you'll never find that out unless you both get over yourselves, gather your balls and talk about whatever the hell happened between you that night."

"I'm so scared, Joe. Especially after what Mai said. How can I be with someone like that?"

The blonde shrugged. "So he has a past, so what? He never judged you for having one after Duke Devlin acted like a moron in front of the whole world."

Yugi hadn't thought of that before.

So maybe Joey had a point. And maybe he had let his insecurities get the best of him. And maybe things would work out. But right now, Yugi couldn't see how that was even a remote possibility. He felt so wounded and broken, how could he get over it so easily?

"Still, I can't go through with this. I'm not ready for this next step." Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice tightened. "The last time I started to care about someone, the last time this happened…"

He sobbed silently as his friend pulled him into a tight hug. "I can't get my heart broken again," he choked out.

" _Yugi_ ," Joey said slowly, in the serious tone he only used at times of extreme importance. "Real love is giving someone the opportunity to break your heart, but trusting them enough not to."

Yugi sighed deeply. He felt so defeated. So helpless. "It is what it is, Joey."

Joey shook his head as he pulled away and held his friend by the shoulders. "No Yug." He stared into tearful lavender eyes and smiled. " _It is_ _what you make it_."

* * *

"JENKINS!" A voice thundered. "I know you're as dumb as a mule and twice as ugly, but this quarterly report reads like it was written by a first grader! Why didn't you just write the damn thing with a crayon?!"

Seto scoffed angrily and threw down his pen in frustration. This damn paperwork was never going to get finished. He had seen his cousin's rage before. This was a typical post-breakup Atem. But this was beyond rage – this was the most tyrannical fury that Seto had ever seen. He stood up from his desk and pulled out his cell phone.

There was only one way to deal with it.


End file.
